Ingredients
For the Caramelized Apples
- 1 cup peeled and finely diced gala apples
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Cookies
- 13 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
For the Coating
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Caramelize the Apples and Brown the Butter
First, let’s get the apples going. In a small saucepan, just toss the diced apples with the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice.
Cook that mixture over a low-medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring it every so often. You’re looking for the apples to soften and everything to cook down into a thick, jam-like consistency. Once it gets there, pull the pan off the heat and slide the apple mixture into the fridge to chill completely.
While the apples are cooling, you can brown the butter. Melt the butter in a separate pot over medium heat. It’ll melt, then start to crackle and sizzle for a few minutes—just let it do its thing and give it an occasional stir.
You’ll know it’s ready when the rapid bubbling slows and the butter starts to foam up. After a gentle stir, you should see golden-brown milk solids at the bottom, and it’ll smell distinctly nutty.
The second you see and smell that, get the pot off the heat and pour the browned butter into a different bowl. This is a key step because it stops the butter from continuing to cook and burn. Let that cool in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
Mix and Chill the Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, fine sea salt, and cornstarch.
In a separate, larger bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter with both sugars and the vanilla extract. Then, whisk in the egg and egg yolk until the mixture is smooth.
Gently fold in the cooled caramelized apples, just enough to distribute them evenly.
Now, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Use a spatula to fold everything together until you don’t see any more streaks of flour. The dough is going to be pretty soft at this point.
Cover the bowl tightly and get the dough into the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours. Don’t rush this part; it makes a huge difference in the flavor and ensures the cookies bake up thick and chewy.
Coat and Bake the Cookies
When you’re ready to bake, get your oven preheating to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together in a small bowl for your coating.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the chilled dough, about 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Roll each portion into a ball, then roll it around in the cinnamon-sugar until it’s coated on all sides.
Place the cookies on your prepared baking sheet, leaving a good 2-3 inches of space between them.
Bake for ~12-14 minutes. They’re done when the edges are set and golden brown, but the tops still look a little puffy and underdone. They’ll continue to set up on the hot pan after you pull them from the oven.
The cookies need to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before you move them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
Apple Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Apples
- 1 cup peeled and finely diced gala apples
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Cookies
- 13 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
For the Coating
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice in saucepan. Cook over low-medium heat 10 minutes until jammy. Refrigerate until cool.
- Brown butter over medium heat until golden and nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate 10 minutes.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch in medium bowl.
- Mix cooled brown butter, sugars, and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk in egg and yolk until smooth.
- Fold in cooled apples, then dry ingredients until just combined.
- Chill dough 2-3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon for coating.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon portions, roll into balls, coat in cinnamon sugar.
- Place on baking sheet 3 inches apart.
- Bake 12-14 minutes until edges are set but centers slightly puffy.
- Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Notes
