What is better than an apple cider donut? AN APPLE CIDER COOKIE. Secretly made gluten free and dairy free with no refined sugar. These soft cookies are made with apple cider and filled with chopped apples, cinnamon and nutmeg making them the perfect fall treat. All eaters LOOOVE these cookies!
Recipe update: I HAVE MADE THESE COOKIES MANY TIMES WITH DIFFERENT METHODS. SEE BELOW FOR DIFFERENCE IN SIZE AND TEXTURE BASED ON CHILL TIMES AND FLOURS USED!
(These are made with cassava flour and chilled overnight. Dipped in icing and topped with pecans)
(These are made with GF 1:1 flour and chilled for 90 minutes. Drizzled with icing)
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INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE APPLE CIDER COOKIES:
Non Dairy Butter
Fresh Apple Cider
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Chopped Apples
Baking Soda
Sea salt
Egg
Powdered Monkfruit or Powdered Sugar
SUBSTITUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
1. I used Bobs Red Mill gluten free 1:1 flour but any 1:1 GF flour should work here. I also made these with cassava flour and they tasted great, but make sure to reduce the amount to 1 3/4 cup. They'll be more delicate in texture than the GF flour blend.
2. Thankfully there are some great vegan butter subs these days. I typically bake with Earth Balance or Miyoko’s. I used both in this recipe with success. You can also sub with real grass fed butter.
3. Make sure to use fresh apple cider NOT apple cider vinegar! You may also use UNFILTERED apple juice. It'll be cloudy, not clear.
4. Coconut sugar is my go to in baking. It’s low glycemic, candida and diabetic friendly in smaller servings, and does not taste like coconut! However you can substitute this with light brown sugar for chewier cookie.
5. This cookie does have an egg to bind it. You can try subbing for a flax egg but I would add 2. The cookies are delicate so could use extra binding without an egg.
6. Powdered monkfruit sweetener is used in the icing. You may also use real confectionary powdered sugar.
What do I need for gluten free apple cider cookies?
Two mixing bowls
A baking sheet lined with parchment paper
A whisk or hand mixer for the icing
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE APPLE CIDER COOKIES IN THESE EASY STEPS:
Reduce apple cider on stove for 20-25 minutes.
Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients except the apple cider.
Mix the dry into the wet. Now mix in the reduced apple cider.
Add in chopped apples.
Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Scoop out and roll into balls.
Roll into cinnamon and sugar.
Gently press down so tops are flat.
Bake 11-14 minutes.
While baking, mix the apple cider icing.
Let cool and drizzle with the icing!
TIPS FOR THE BEST GLUTEN FREE APPLE CIDER COOKIES
1. Boil down apple cider on the stove for 20-25 minutes to create an apple cider reduction (water boils off), this will give you a sweet strong apple syrup.
2. Refrigerate the dough for 90 minutes to 2 hours. This will give you big, spread cookies. If you refrigerate overnight, the cookies will be smaller in size and a little puffier.
3. Do not overbake. Start at 11 minutes and take them out when the edges are just set and slightly cracked. If they are overbaked they will have a cake-like texture.
FAQs!
Can I make apple cider cookies vegan?
This recipe calls for one egg. I have not tried flax eggs in this recipe for substitutes. If you try, I recommend using 2 flax eggs for better binding. The cookies tend to be delicate.
Can I make apple cider cookies paleo?
You can sub the GF flour for cassava flour but reduce the flour by 1/4 cup. This flour absorbs lots of moisture so the cookies may be a bit more dry if it’s not reduced. It will be a total of 1 3/4 cups. This will make your cookies paleo.
If you are not following paleo and substitute the coconut sugar for brown sugar, these will have a nice chewy texture!
What is apple cider?
Apple cider is unfiltered apple juice. The fiber and nutrients are left in the juice, giving it a richer flavor and a thicker texture. This is not apple cider vinegar and not apple juice! These will not work in the recipe. Apple cider can be found fresh in the grocery store in the refrigerated section near the produce. It's seasonal, you can find it September through November typically.
What is apple cider reduction?
For best cookie results, REDUCE THE APPLE CIDER FIRST. You can do this by simmering it on the stove for 20-30 minutes, uncovered. This will boil off the water in the cider and leave the natural syrups in the apple behind. Make sure to boil down 1+ cup since it will reduce in volume, giving you about 1/2 cup of reduction needed for the recipe.
Can I use apple juice instead?
I don't recommend this. The texture and taste of the cookies will be different. Apple juice has a lot more water content. If you can only find apple juice, make sure to use unfiltered apple juice. It will be cloudy, not clear.
Any other questions? Ask me in the comment box below!
IF YOU MAKE APPLE CIDER COOKIES, LEAVE ME COMMENTS OR RATINGS BELOW
AND BE SURE TO TAG ME @GUTSY_BAKER ON INSTAGRAM OF YOUR CREATIONS!