Holiday Apple Spice Drop Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

Festive, crowd-pleasing holiday cookies with a WA winter twist: apple + warm spices. Soft centers, crisp edges—great for a cookie platter.

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Simple Truth Organic® Fuji Apples – 2 Pound Bag 1 large apple (grated; ~3/4 cup) $4.99
All-purpose flour (pantry) 1 3/4 cups
Baking soda (pantry) 1/2 tsp
Baking powder (pantry) 1/2 tsp
Salt (pantry) 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon (pantry) 1 1/2 tsp
Ground nutmeg (pantry) 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter (pantry) 1/2 cup (1 stick), softened
Brown sugar (pantry) 3/4 cup (packed)
Egg (pantry) 1 large
Vanilla extract (pantry) 1 tsp
Optional mix-in: chopped walnuts or pecans (pantry) 1/2 cup
Optional glaze: powdered sugar (pantry) 3/4 cup
Optional glaze: milk or water (pantry) 1–2 Tbsp
Optional glaze: cinnamon (pantry) pinch

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Grate apple on the large holes of a box grater. If it’s very wet, squeeze lightly in a towel so it’s damp but not dripping.
Whisk dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.
Cream butter + brown sugar in a bowl until fluffy (2–3 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla.
Mix in grated apple. Add dry ingredients and stir just until no floury streaks remain. Fold in nuts if using.
Scoop 1 1/2 Tbsp mounds (or use a #40 cookie scoop) onto sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly (they don’t spread a ton).
Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and tops look just baked (don’t overbake). Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then move to a rack.
Optional glaze: whisk powdered sugar with 1 Tbsp milk/water and a pinch of cinnamon; drizzle once cookies are cool.

Health notes: Classic holiday treat. For a slightly lighter version, reduce glaze or skip it; they’re flavorful without frosting.

Drink pairing: Hot apple cider, coffee, or a glass of WA late-harvest Riesling.

Careme