Tangy Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies: A Fall Favorite (Print Version)

Warm, spiced Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies bring autumn to your kitchen. Tangy cream cheese meets spiced apple cider in a soft, chewy bite.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 30 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 24 Servings
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Cookie Dough Essentials

01 - 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
05 - ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
06 - ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
07 - ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
08 - ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
09 - 1 large egg, room temperature
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 2 tablespoons apple cider reduction (from 1.5 cups cider)

→ Creamy Cheesecake Core

12 - 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 - ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Apple Cider Glaze

15 - ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar
16 - 2 tablespoons apple cider reduction

→ Autumn Spices

17 - Extra pinch of cinnamon for dusting (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, let's get that apple cider reduction going. Pour about 1.5 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble gently, reducing until you have about 1/4 cup of thick, syrupy goodness. This usually takes me about 15-20 minutes. It'll smell amazing, like autumn in a pot! Let it cool completely; this is where I always get impatient, but trust me, cooling is key for the Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies.
02 - While your cider cools, tackle the cheesecake filling. In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract until it's smooth and creamy. You want it light and fluffy. I once tried to do this with cold cream cheese, and it was lumpy, totally lumpy! Learn from my mistake, soften that cream cheese properly for these Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies.
03 - In a larger bowl, cream together your room-temperature butter with both sugars until it's light and fluffy. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Don't overmix, that's where I always make them tough! Stir in 2 tablespoons of your cooled apple cider reduction for that deep apple flavor in your Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies.
04 - Now for the fun part! Scoop about a tablespoon of cookie dough, flatten it slightly in your palm, and place about half a teaspoon of the cheesecake filling in the center. Carefully fold the dough around the filling, sealing it up into a ball. This step always gets my fingers a little sticky, but it’s worth it for the surprise center of these Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
05 - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. They might look a little puffy, but they’ll settle as they cool. Don’t overbake them; you want them soft and chewy. I once left them in for an extra couple of minutes, and they lost that lovely tenderness, oops!
06 - While the Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies cool on a wire rack, whisk together the remaining powdered sugar with the rest of your apple cider reduction until you have a smooth, pourable glaze. Drizzle this over the cooled cookies. The smell of the cider glaze hitting the warm cookies is just divine, honestly. Let the glaze set a bit, then dig in! They’re so good, you might just eat two (or three).

# Notes:

01 - Don't overmix the cookie dough; it makes them tough, which I learned the hard way.
02 - These Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies taste even better the next day after the flavors meld.
03 - If you don't have apple cider, apple juice works for the reduction, but the flavor won't be as deep, honestly.
04 - Dusting these Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies with a tiny bit of cinnamon sugar just before serving adds a real 'wow' factor.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Saucepan
02 - mixing bowls
03 - electric mixer
04 - measuring cups and spoons
05 - baking sheets
06 - parchment paper
07 - wire rack

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 210
Total Fat: 10g
Total Carbohydrate: 28g
Protein: 2g

Back