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Apple Cookies with Cider Glaze

Any variety of apple will work for this recipe

By Deborah Misik

New York State, my home state, is known for its Macintosh apples. Every year I would pick them and make apple cookies. Washington state is known for its Granny Smith apples, one of my favorites. Did you know that the climate in New York state does not allow for the growth of Granny Smiths apples? Imagine how excited I am that I can now go pick a Granny Smith. They hold up very nicely in baked goods because of their firmer texture but still provide great flavor.

My favorite part of this recipe is that any variety of apple will work. You can even use a combination of several different apples to achieve a more flavorful product. The texture of the apple softens slightly as they are baked quickly in a cookie recipe. It is important to make sure your apple knife cuts are even for consistent apple texture.

The softness of this particular cookie with contrasting textures of dried fruit, fresh apples and nuts makes it pleasing to the mouth. The flavors of the spices with butter result in a well-balanced flavor in this cookie. The glaze is important but the cookie itself could stand alone. You could also substitute maple syrup in the place of the apple cider in the glaze.

Cookie Dough

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 1/4 cup 2% milk, room temperature

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp.  ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp.  ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup finely diced peeled apple of choice

• 1 cup raisins, or dried cranberries

Cider Glaze

• 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/8 tsp. salt

• 2 to 4 tsp. apple cider

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, in a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add egg and milk. Mix to combine

3. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves;  add at once to the creamed mixture and mix well, being careful to not overmix. Your cookies will become tough if you overmix them.

4. Stir in walnuts, apple and raisins.

5. Using a 2 oz. ice cream scoop, scoop cookie dough onto parchment lined sheet pan.

6. Bake 8-10 minutes, until they do not look “wet” and have achieved an even browning color. If uneven color develops half way through the baking process you can rotate your sheet pan in the oven.

7. Allow cookies to cool.

8. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and enough apple cider to achieve drizzling consistency. Spread on cookies.

Chef Deborah Misik is the instructional coordinator of baking and pastry at The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College. She is a Certified Executive Pastry Chef and a Certified Culinary Educator through the American Culinary Federation. For more information about the Culinary Institute of Montana at FVCC, visit www.culinaryinstituteofmt.com.