Apple Snickerdoodles...now, it's Home & July's Give-Away Apron Winner...finally!

I've been so discombobulated these last few weeks with packing, traveling across country, and now unpacking to even think about doing anything like blogging, but receiving my copy of The Baking Sheet from King Arthur Flour and seeing a recipe for Apple Snickerdoodles made me smile.  Snickerdoodles are probably my favorite cookie from childhood; looking forward to my mother baking a batch when I got home from school is a fond memory.  These have a definite twist with apple, but the aroma coming from my kitchen made me feel like home again.

The difference in taste is the addition of Boiled Cider and Apple Pie Spice, but the cinnamon-sugared, crunchy cookie tells you it's a Snickerdoodle.

Apple Snickerdoodles
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup (4 T) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup Boil Cider
1 tsp. Apple Pie Spice*
1 large egg
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 3/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. Apple Pie Spice*
2 tsp. Cinnamon

*The original recipe calls for 2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice with the sugar to roll the cookies in before baking.  I used 1 tsp. in the dough and 1 tsp. in the sugar mixture, plus I added 2 tsp. cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 400F-degrees (I bake using the Convection setting and lowered the temperature to 380F-degrees)  Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the shortening, butter and sugar together thoroughly.  Add the egg, boiled cider, and apple pie spice and mix on medium to incorporate.  Scrape the sides of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined--don't over mix.  I actually used the rubber spatula to stir in the dry ingredients.  Prepare the sugar/spice mixture and scoop up some dough, roll into a ball, then, roll in this mixture.

Place balls onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass or as I used, my "meat tenderizer."

Bake 9 to 11 minutes--with convection, it took exactly 9 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring the cookies to a rack to cool completely.  

The crispness is delightful and the slight tartness of the apple is a nice touch, especially with Fall around the corner.  I'm missing Washington a little, but the more exploring we do, the more I'm liking beginning a new chapter in my life.  I promise photos of these beautiful area soon. Enjoy!

Now, the important thing...the Winner of July's apron is Happy Cottage Quilter.  Please email me your mailing information and the apron will be winging it's way to you, XOXO

I'd like to promise that there will be an apron up in the next few days for August, but with just a week left in this month, I'm shooting for September!