Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies: A New Fall Favorite Recipe

These Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies taste like a trip to the orchard - soft, chewy, and coated in a delicate layer of powdered sugar. Made with an apple cider reduction and browned butter, they’re cozy, flavorful, and look as if they came from a fancy bakery, but are simple enough for a weekend bake.

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COOK + BAKE   |   Published October 22, 2025

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Every fall, I find myself craving something that tastes like a trip to the orchard, like my Baked Apple Cheesecake with Walnut Crust.


Not too fancy, not too fussy. Just warm, comforting, and filled with that unmistakable apple-cider sweetness.


These Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies are exactly that kind of recipe. They start with real apple cider simmered down into a thick syrup and browned butter that adds a hint of nutty richness. The result is a soft, chewy cookie with just the right touch of fall spice.


And while they taste homemade in the very best way, they look like something straight from a bakery box: delicately crinkled, perfectly coated in powdered sugar, and almost too pretty to eat.


The best part? They’re surprisingly simple to make.


If you’re ready for a cookie that feels a little bit special this season, keep reading. You’ll see exactly why these Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies are worth every minute you’ll spend baking.


They just might become your new favorite fall treat!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Big Apple Flavor: Simmering the cider down concentrates its natural sweetness and brings out that deep fruit flavor.


• Brown Butter Richness: Letting the butter brown gives these cookies a nutty, caramel-like depth that sets them apart, just like the icing in the Soft Pumpkin Cookies I make every year.


• Perfect Fall Flavor: A warm blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom.


• Soft, Chewy Texture: Chilling the dough helps the flavors develop and creates that soft, crinkled texture everyone loves.


• Make-Ahead Friendly: You can freeze the dough balls to bake later, making it easy to enjoy fresh cookies whenever you want.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Apple Cider: We’ll simmer it down into a thick, syrupy concentrate that gives the cookies rich apple flavor in every bite. (If you end up with extra cider, it’s also wonderful in my Apple Cider Pound Cake.)


• Unsalted Butter: Before mixing, we’ll brown the butter on the stove until it takes on a golden color and nutty aroma. This adds a subtle caramel note that pairs beautifully with the apple and spices.


• Brown Sugar: Keeps the cookies soft and chewy while lending a deep molasses flavor.


• Large Eggs


• Vanilla Extract


• All-Purpose Flour


• Baking Powder and Salt: Help the cookies rise and balance the sweetness.


• Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cardamom: Classic fall spices with just enough complexity. The cardamom adds a floral, slightly citrusy note that lifts the flavor rather than weighing it down. You can substitute allspice if you don’t have any.


• Granulated Sugar and Confectioner's Sugar: Each cookie dough ball gets rolled in both sugars before baking, which creates the signature crinkled top and a delicate, sweet coating once baked.

A Note on Substitutions

I’m often asked if a recipe can be changed or simplified, and while you’re always welcome to experiment, I can only promise great results when the ingredients are used as written. This is the version I’ve tested and loved, and every part of it from the reduced cider to the browned butter plays a role in the cookie’s flavor and texture.


If you decide to make changes, think of it as your own version, but know that your results may vary a bit from what you see here.

How to Make Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies for Fall

STEP 1: Reduce the Apple Cider

Start by pouring 2 cups of apple cider into a medium saucepan and boiling it over high heat for about 15–20 minutes. Stir it occasionally and watch it closely near the end to prevent burning. When it’s ready, it should be darkened in color, thick like syrup, and measure about ¼ cup. Let it cool completely before using.

STEP 2: Brown the Butter

Melt the butter in a light-colored sauté pan over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Once melted, it will foam, then begin to brown after 5–8 minutes. Watch for a golden color and a nutty aroma, with small brown bits (milk solids) forming at the bottom of the pan.

Pour it into a heatproof dish to cool slightly, then chill it in the freezer for 10–15 minutes until it firms up to the texture of softened butter, stirring once or twice for even cooling.

If you’ve never browned butter before, don’t worry. It’s simpler than it sounds! You can follow my step-by-step guide on how to brown butter for photos and extra tips before you begin.

STEP 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.

STEP 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Beat the browned butter and brown sugar together with a stand or hand mixer on medium speed for 3–5 minutes, until light, fluffy, and pale in color. Stop once or twice to scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly. Creaming the butter and sugar like this is what gives the cookies their soft, cake-like texture.

STEP 5: Add the Wet Ingredients

Beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined, followed by the cooled apple cider reduction and vanilla. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little separated. It will come together once the dry ingredients are added.

STEP 6: Mix and Chill the Dough

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. The dough will be sticky, and that’s exactly what you want. Wrap it up and chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the flavors can develop and the texture can set.

STEP 7: Roll and Coat

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie.

Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar that have been added to separate bowls, making sure they’re fully coated for that signature crinkle top.

Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart, then chill again for 10 minutes before baking so they don’t spread too much.

STEP 8: Bake and Cool

Bake the cookies at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and the tops are puffed and crinkled. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Storage and Freezing Tips

These cookies are best enjoyed fresh, especially when still warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy them within three days for the best flavor and texture.

If you’d like to plan ahead, the dough balls can be rolled in both sugars and frozen until firm. Transfer them to an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to three months. When the craving hits, bake them straight from frozen, just add an extra minute to the baking time.

Make-Ahead Simplicity Tips

If you like to prep your baking projects in stages, there are a few shortcuts that make this recipe even more manageable:

• The apple cider reduction can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator.


• Browned butter will keep in the fridge for up to five days or can be frozen for up to three months. Just let it soften before using.


• The dough can be chilled for up to 48 hours before baking.


• The cookie dough balls can also be made ahead and frozen for up to three months so you can bake them whenever you’d like a freshly baked treat.

You can skip browning the butter if you’re really pressed for time, but it does change the flavor and texture. (Use just 8 Tablespoons instead.) The few extra minutes are worth it, I promise.

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Recipe Source

This recipe comes from Cherry on My Sundae, a site filled with beautifully tested, creative recipes. I came across this one and loved the thoughtful process, especially the steps of reducing the apple cider and browning the butter, which add so much character to these cookies. I’m sharing it here in my own words as part of my ongoing collection of recipes that I’ve made and loved.

If you enjoy this one, I highly recommend visiting Cherry on My Sundae to explore more of her recipes.

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Sometimes the best fall baking recipes are the ones that don’t try too hard: just good, familiar flavors made a little extra special. These Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies are exactly that.


They have all the homemade comfort of a cookie fresh from your own oven, yet they look as though they came tucked inside a fancy bakery box — no extra effort required. With their crinkled powdered sugar tops, soft centers, and layers of apple-cider-and-browned-butter flavor, they feel both nostalgic and impressive at once.


Whether you use fresh cider from the orchard or a bottle from the store, this recipe brings that cozy, homemade feeling we all crave when the air turns crisp and the days grow shorter. Pour yourself a mug of cider, turn on the oven, and let your kitchen fill with the scent of fall.

For more fall inspired treats perfect for enjoying fresh from the oven or on a cookie tray for guests, try my Pumpkin Ginger Molasses Cookies or Vanilla Walnut Crescent Rugelach Cookies.

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Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

PRINT RECIPE

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups apple cider
• 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1: In a medium saucepan, boil apple cider over high heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ¼ cup and thick like syrup. Cool completely.

STEP 2: In a light-colored sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue cooking 5–8 minutes, whisking occasionally, until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Pour into a heatproof dish and cool slightly, then chill 10–15 minutes until the texture is like softened butter.

STEP 3: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Set aside.

STEP 4: In a large mixing bowl, beat browned butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed 3–5 minutes until light and fluffy.

STEP 5: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the cooled cider reduction and vanilla.

STEP 6: Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir just until combined. Dough will be sticky. Wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

STEP 7: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

STEP 8: Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough and roll each in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Chill 10 minutes before baking.

STEP 9: Bake 8–10 minutes, until bottoms are golden and tops are puffed and crinkled. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container when cool for up to 3 days.