Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies
These are the best apple cider cheesecake cookies! They are super chewy apple cider cookies stuffed with creamy cheesecake filling, brushed with butter and sprinkled with spiced sugar. They're the perfect fall cookie and every apple cider lover will adore them!*This recipe has been recently updated to be even better! 🙂
Ingredients
For the Apple Cider Reduction
- 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp ((38 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the Apple Cider Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups (218 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla
- scant 1/4 cup (just under 60 ml) apple cider reduction from above
For the Spiced Sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- pinch ground allspice
- 1-2 tbsp (14-28 g) salted butter, melted
Instructions
For the Apple Cider Reduction
- Add the apple cider to a medium saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium low heat, then let it simmer until it is reduced to a scant 1/4 cup (just under 60 ml). Once the cider is simmering, it takes my stovetop around 25 minutes, but it could take longer, or less time, depending on your stove. The apple cider will be a very thick, caramel sauce like consistency.Be sure to really watch it for the last 5 minutes, as it will get very bubbly right towards the end of reduction time. You’ll want to stir it with a rubber spatula at the end to make sure you haven’t over reduced it. Begin checking the cider reduction has reached a scant 1/4 cup around 20 minutes, and add more time as needed.Keep in mind that the cider will be simmering for around 25 minutes, not that the total time will only take 25 minutes. It will take some time to get the cider to simmer, then start a timer for 25 minutes once it has started simmering. It could take a total of 45 minutes from start to finish depending on your stovetop. All stoves are different, so you’ll want to watch the cider closely and just make sure you get it down to a scant 1/4 cup. Let the reduction cool to room temperature while working on the rest of the steps.2 cups (480 ml) apple cider
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Â Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla to a small bowl. Mix on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold, 3 tbsp ((38 g) granulated white sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Scoop the cheesecake filling into 16, 2 teaspoon portions onto the baking sheet.
- Pop the cheesecake balls into the freezer until they are frozen and very firm.
For the Apple Cider Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.1 3/4 cups (218 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar together with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- Add in the egg yolks, vanilla and reduced apple cider and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy and the cider has incorporated into the mixture, 3-5 minutes. You will really have to scrape the reduced cider out with a a spoon as it will be hard and sticky once it's cooled. It is okay if there are little chunks of apple cider reduction still visible in the butter mixture, just as long as the majority of it has been mixed in. You may also need to use a rubber spatula in the beginning to smoosh the cider reduction into the butter, then mix it in with the electric mixer.2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 2 tsp vanilla, scant 1/4 cup (just under 60 ml) apple cider reduction from above
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and combine on low speed just until combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so that it's easier to work with.
- Scoop the dough into 16 portions with a 1 1/2 tbsp cookie scoop. Slightly flatten out each cookie dough ball, then place the frozen cheesecake ball in the center. Then close the cheesecake ball in with the cookie dough and roll into a ball again. Make sure the cheesecake is completely covered in cookie dough. (Keep the cheesecake balls in the freezer until ready to use for each batch of cookies.)
- Transfer the cookie dough balls to a prepared baking sheet. Bake 6 cookies at a time for 11-12 minutes. (I think 11 minutes 30 seconds is perfect.)When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large, round cookie cutter around them to give them a perfect circular shape.Â
- Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.Â
For The Spiced Sugar
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, pinch ground allspice
- When the cookies are cool, use a pastry brush to brush the tops with melted butter, then sprinkle the spiced sugar over them. You can also gently roll each side of the cookies in the spiced sugar, being careful not to break them as they are soft cookies. Then, serve!1-2 tbsp (14-28 g) salted butter, melted
Notes
This recipe has been updated on 8/31/2026 from the original recipe from 2023 to make it a bit easier.Â
If you preferred the older version of the recipe, the only difference is how long the apple cider is reduced for. I am putting the old instructions for the apple cider reduction here if you wish to use this version. (If you use this version, the dough only needs to be chilled for 15-20 minutes.)
Cider Reduction:
Add the apple cider to a medium saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium low heat and then let simmer until it is reduced to 2 tbsp (30 ml). Once the cider is simmering, it takes my stovetop 25-38 minutes, but it could take longer, or less time, depending on the stove.
The apple cider will be very, very thick. Be sure to really watch it for the last 5 minutes, as it will get very bubbly right towards the end of reduction time. You’ll want to stir it with a rubber spatula at the end to make sure you haven’t over reduced it. (See photos in the blog post.)
Check you have 2 tbsp at 25 minutes, and add more time as necessary. An easy way to do this is pour it into a 1/4 cup measuring cup and make sure it is half full, instead of trying to mess with a measuring spoon.
Keep in mind that the cider will be simmering for 25-38 minutes, not that the total time will only take 25 minutes. It will take some time to get the cider to simmer, then start a timer for 25 minutes once it has started simmering. It could take a total of an hour from start to finish depending on your stovetop. All stoves are different, so you’ll want to watch the cider closely and just make sure you get it down to 2 tbsp. And if it’s a little over 2 tbsp that’s okay, it doesn’t need to be exact, we’re just looking for a very, very thick apple cider reduction that is close to half of a 1/4 measuring cup.
Let the reduction cool. It will get pretty hard and very sticky once it’s cool. Don’t worry though, it will blend into the butter mixture.
*Then follow the rest of the instructions from above. Happy baking, and happy autumn! :)Â
Did you make this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!