These cookies look, smell and taste like Fall, and several of my grandkids have decided they are their “new” favorite cookie. Nina doesn’t like nuts, so I leave the nuts off some of the cookies. Melissa’s mother-in-law tasted them for the first time last week and said they tasted like comfort in her mouth. I thought that was a great way to describe them.
I really hate buying something for a recipe that I never or rarely use. In this recipe it’s the apple juice, but these cookies really benefit from the flavor. I buy the smallest size I can, and keep it in the freezer. If, like us, you are not regular consumers of apple juice, you may want to measure out what is needed for a recipe, and freeze that amount in each container.
The recipe calls for a tart apple, like Granny Smith, but I use whatever apples I have on hand. They are equally delicious regardless of the type of apple. One large apple or two small apples measure to approximately 1 cup of shredded apples. It doesn’t have to be exact.
I hope you like them as much as we do. Please share your experience with these cookies and let me know if you like them!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup apple juice or milk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large tart apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and coarsely shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons apple juice
- 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1-1/4 cups brown sugar, baking soda, apple pie spice, and salt. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg until well combined. Add 1/2 cup apple juice; beat on low speed until combined (mixture will look curdled). Beat in the flour as you can with the mixer; stir in any remaining flour. Fold in apple.
- Drop dough by slightly rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake in 350 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Let stand 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
- In a small saucepan heat and stir 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and 3 tablespoons apple juice over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Whisk in powdered sugar. Spread frosting on cooled cookies and immediately sprinkle with pecans. If frosting begins to harden, heat again and stir in a small amount of apple juice to make spreading consistency. I keep the frosting on a very low heat while I am frosting the cookies to keep it of spreading consistency.
- Makes about 3 dozen cookies.