Apple Pie Shortbread Cookies Recipe

This Apple Pie Shortbread Cookies Recipe captures the essence of a warm autumn pie in a melt-in-your-mouth biscuit. By boiling down apple cider into a potent, syrupy nectar and folding it into a spiced butter dough, you create a cookie that is intensely flavorful yet tender. Finished with a sheer cider glaze, these stamped beauties look as professional as they taste, making them a stunning addition to any holiday cookie swap.

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Apple Pie Shortbread Cookies Ingredients

• 1 cup Refrigerated Apple Cider (for dough): This must be boiled down to a syrup to concentrate the flavor without adding too much liquid to the shortbread.
• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter: At room temperature. The high fat content is essential for the “short” texture.
• 1 Large Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough without the water content of the white.
• 2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice that gives the cookie its signature warmth.
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt: Balances the sugar.
• 1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar (for dough): Also known as powdered sugar; it contains cornstarch which keeps the cookies tender.
• 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour: Plus extra for kneading and dusting.
• Granulated Sugar: For rolling the dough balls before stamping, adding a sparkly crunch.
• 3/4 cup Confectioners’ Sugar (for glaze): The base of the icing.
• 1 tablespoon Refrigerated Apple Cider (for glaze): Adds a second layer of apple flavor.
• 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons Warm Water: To thin the glaze to the perfect dipping consistency.

How To Make Apple Pie Shortbread Cookies

1. Reduce the Cider: In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, bring 1 cup of apple cider to a boil. Cook until it is reduced to a syrup (about 1 1/2 tablespoons). This takes 12 to 14 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly; it should remain liquid.
2. Cream the Butter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, egg yolk, apple pie spice, and salt with a wooden spoon until creamy. Mix in the cooled cider syrup, followed by the 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar.
3. Make the Dough: Add the flour and mix until it is absorbed and the dough becomes difficult to stir. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and gently knead a few times, dusting with flour if needed, until soft but not sticky.
4. Chill the Balls: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 18 pieces. Roll each into a ball and place on the sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until slightly firm.
5. Stamp: Place granulated sugar on a plate. Roll a dough ball in the sugar, dust the top lightly with flour, and dust your 3-inch cookie stamp with flour. Press the stamp onto the ball until the cookie is 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. If it sticks, gently peel it off. Repeat with all balls.
6. Second Chill: Arrange stamped cookies on unlined baking sheets. Refrigerate again for 20 to 30 minutes. This ensures the design holds sharp during baking.
7. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are firm and just beginning to brown. Cool on the sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack.
8. Glaze: Whisk the glaze ingredients together until smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Dip the stamped face of each cooled cookie into the glaze, let excess drip off, and return to the rack to set (about 15 minutes).

Recipe Tips

• The Cider Syrup: Watch the reduction closely in the final minutes. It goes from “syrup” to “burnt candy” very quickly. It should coat a spoon like warm honey.
• Stamping Success: If the stamp sticks, your dough is likely too warm or you need more flour. Dip the stamp in flour before every single cookie.
• No Stamp? If you don’t have a cookie stamp, you can use the flat bottom of a patterned drinking glass or simply press them flat and use a fork to crimp the edges.
• Glaze Consistency: The glaze should be thin enough that you can see the stamped design through it. If it’s too thick, it will fill in the grooves and hide the pattern.

What To Serve With Apple Shortbread

• Hot Apple Cider: Double down on the apple flavor.
• Chai Tea: The spices in chai (cardamom, ginger) pair perfectly with the apple pie spice.
• Vanilla Ice Cream: Crumbled over ice cream, this makes a quick apple pie sundae.

How To Store Shortbread Cookies

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Layer with wax paper so the glaze doesn’t stick.
• Freezing: The unbaked, stamped dough freezes very well. Bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the time. Baked, glazed cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Apple Pie Shortbread Nutrition Facts

• Calories: ~180 kcal
• Fat: 10g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Protein: 2g
• Nutrition information is estimated per cookie based on 18 servings.

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