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Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies

Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies are tender cut-out sugar cookies with cinnamon in the dough and a smooth apple butter frosting. Chill the dough for clean shapes, bake until just set at the edges, then top each cookie with cinnamon sugar and a caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cut-out sugar cookies
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup apple butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For apple butter frosting
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp apple butter
  • 2.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp milk Use 2–3 tbsp to reach a spreadable consistency.
Cinnamon sugar and caramel for finishing
  • 1 cinnamon sugar
  • 1 caramel For drizzling.

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cookie dough
  1. Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and apple butter until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again until well combined.
  2. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until a soft dough forms with no dry streaks.
Chill, roll, and bake
  1. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, then preheat the oven to 350°F while it warms slightly. Line a sheet pan for baking.
  2. Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds or apple shapes and transfer to the sheet pan.
  3. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly soft. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the apple butter frosting
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese, butter, apple butter, and cinnamon until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, then add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is spreadable.
Frost and finish
  1. Frost each cooled cookie with an even layer of apple butter frosting. Dust the top with cinnamon sugar for the finish.
  2. Drizzle caramel over the frosted cookies, then let the topping set for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Chill the dough until firm so cut-out shapes hold their edges when rolling and transferring. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze frosted cookies for up to 2 months (best texture: freeze unfrosted, then frost after thawing). Dietary swap: for a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend designed for cookies (texture may vary slightly).