Our Favorite Holiday Cookie Recipes

It’s that time of year again when we show our friends, neighbors, and families how much we appreciate them with a special gift. These gestures of appreciation don’t have to cost much — and mean all the more when we make them with our own hands.

This holiday season, spend the afternoon baking cookies with your family and then deliver them — wrapped up on a platter or in a tin — to the people who mean a lot to you. You’ll feel good inside and out when you see the smile spread across his or her face.

Looking for some tasty new cookie recipes to try this year? Many of us at Musselman’s Apple Sauce consider ourselves cookie connoisseurs — and collect recipes we find and love on Musselman’s Pinterest page. Here are a few of our favorites, all of which bake in the wholesome, sweet taste of apples, apple cider, apple butter, or apple sauce. Happy baking!

Ginger Sandwich Cookies with Apple Butter Cream Filling  Your neighbors will savor every crumb of this one-of-a-kind holiday cookie. It combines the flavors of the holidays — ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, molasses, and apple butter.

Apple Sauce Oatmeal Cookies  A classic cookie for any occasion made just like Grandma’s with apple sauce, that tastes perfect with a mug of apple cider or hot tea.

Caramel Applesauce Cookies  Caramel applesauce cookies are a tasty fall treat! These soft batch cookies are made with apple sauce and cinnamon, plus an easy-to-make caramel icing.

Browned Butter Applesauce Bars with Apple Walnut Streusel  A cakey bar made with browned butter, walnuts and apple sauce, topped with apple walnut browned butter streusel. It’s the perfect snack when watching the family’s favorite holiday TV specials.

Apple Butter Rugelach (Gluten-Free)  This traditional rugelach with apple and cinnamon flavors from apple butter is given a modern twist using gluten-free flour.

Peanut Butter Apple Butter Thumbprints  Whether for the holidays or just a random Tuesday, everyone loves cookies like Grandma’s made with spiced apple butter. These thumbprints are fun to make with the kids on a snowy afternoon.

Soft Batch Apple Cider Gingersnap Cookies (Gluten-Free)  These gingersnap cookies are soft, chewy and easily made gluten-free! Taste the autumnal flavor from adding both apple cider and unsweetened applesauce to the cookie dough.

Frosted Apple Cranberry Bars  Here is a simple bar cookie that has all the spice flavors of the holidays. Made with oats, cranberries and apple butter.

Apple Cider Snickerdoodles  Snickerdoodles are more than just sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon. Using cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature soft and pillowy texture.

Know other cookie recipes with apples, apple butter, or apple sauce? Share them on our Pinterest board — we’re always looking for new ideas (or even age-old recipes that just taste great)!