Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies
I LOVE classic recipes! There is nothing more nostolic to me than having a baked treat or comfort meal that has been passed down for generations. They are (in my opinion) always the best-tasting foods!
For a couple of years now, my husband has asked me to make snickerdoodles, and this was never part of my “regular” cookie in my baking rotation. But it is a true classic, while flipping through a vintage Betty Crocker cookbook, I thought—why not finally give them a go, but give them a little fall makeover? Instead of pumpkin (which kind of takes over every fall dessert), I wanted something apple-flavored.
These cookies came to life out of that thought, and oh my goodness—they’re soft, chewy, cinnamon-sugar perfection with a cozy apple butter center. Honestly, they’re so good you could justify one as a sweet little breakfast with your coffee! These will now become part of my fall baking traditions, and I truly think you will want to make them each year to celebrate the start of autumn, too!
Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies
YYields: 12 large cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes (+30 min chill time)
Bake Time: 9–11 minutes
Total Time: ~55 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp cinnamon-sugar mix (for rolling)
About ½ cup apple butter (for filling)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.
Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This helps the dough hold shape for those big bakery-style cookies.
Scoop about 2-3 tablespoons of dough (a large cookie scoop works great). Roll into a ball, then coat in cinnamon-sugar. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between cookies.
Bake at 375°F for 9 - 10 minutes (check your oven—don’t overbake; you want them soft!).
Add thumbprint: Immediately after removing from the oven, press the back of a tablespoon into the center of each cookie to create a shallow well. Spoon a little apple butter into the center.
Return cookies to the oven for 1–2 minutes, just until the apple butter sets.
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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