Spiced like a mug of hot cider and covered in snowy powdered sugar, these Spiced Cider Meltaways are the perfect cookie to leave for Santa.
I’ve been experimenting with apple cider flavored cookies for while. It all started when I spied an apple cider cookie recipe that was going around online that used powdered cider mix. I love the idea of a cookie that tastes like apple cider, but wanted to use good old fashioned, no preservative cider out of the jug. Adding extra liquid to a cookie, though, can be tricky business.
I tried chewy cookies that came out cakey.
And cakey cookies that turned out hard.
Nothing was right… until these tasty bites.
Of course! Meltaways, which often call for liquid for flavor (e.g., lime or lemon meltaways made with fresh lime or lemon juice), are the perfect cookie to flavor with cider.
This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart’s Buttered Rum Meltaways (which also sound great, but are more for mama than kiddo and Santa!).
Spiced Cider Meltaways
Makes 4 dozen
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a bowl. Put butter and 1/3 cup sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in cider and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture.
2. Divide dough in half. Place each half on a piece of parchment paper and shape dough into 1 1/4-inch-thick logs. Wrap each log in parchment and chill in freezer for 30 minutes (or store wrapped dough in freezer bags for up to 1 month).
3. When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap logs and cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until just golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool 10 minutes. Gently toss warm cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 weeks.
