Description
Discover the delightful flavors of Turkish Apple Cookies, a soft and aromatic treat combining grated apples, warm cinnamon, and a tender buttery dough. These cookies offer a unique twist with grated apples for natural sweetness and moisture, enhanced by a subtle spice blend and the crunch of walnuts or pistachios. Perfect for a cozy snack or special occasion, this recipe yields 24 flavorful cookies baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated apples (about 2–3 medium apples), excess juice squeezed out
Optional Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pistachios
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Prepare apples: Grate 2-3 medium apples and squeeze out any excess juice using a clean cloth to prevent soggy dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth base for the dough.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract to infuse flavor.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spice.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until everything is combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in apples and nuts: Carefully fold in the grated apples along with chopped walnuts or pistachios if using, ensuring an even distribution without crushing the ingredients.
- Shape cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them to allow for slight spreading during baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are set.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional dusting: Once cooled, dust the cookies with powdered sugar for an elegant finishing touch before serving.
Notes
- Grating and squeezing out apple juice is essential to avoid excess moisture in the dough that can make cookies soggy.
- Using softened butter rather than melted ensures the right texture and fluffiness in the cookies.
- Walnuts and pistachios add a nice crunch and flavor but can be omitted for nut allergies.
- These cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days and also freeze well for longer storage.
- Powdered sugar dusting adds sweetness and a delicate appearance but is optional.
- For a lower sugar version, reduce granulated sugar to ¾ cup and omit the powdered sugar dusting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
