Do I really have to reduce the cider that much?

Yes — without reduction the dough gets too wet and the cookie puffs like cake. Reducing amps up flavor without extra moisture. This is the single most important step.

Can I skip the cheesecake filling?

Totally. You’ll still have delicious Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies minus the filling surprise — but reduce bake time and treat them like classic cider cookies.

Can I use apple juice?

Nope — apple juice lacks the rustic depth of true apple cider. Use real cider for best results.

How do I prevent cheesecake leaking?

Freeze cheesecake balls until rock hard and make sure dough fully seals around each center. Chill dough before baking.

Cozy Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies — One of the Best Fall Cookie Recipes

Name: Cozy Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies — One of the Best Fall Cookie Recipes
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 2 h 41 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (480 ml) apple cider; 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, chilled; 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp vanilla extract; 1 ¾ cups (218 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; ¼ tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened; ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 2 egg yolks, room temperature; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tbsp (30 ml) cooled apple cider reduction; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg; Pinch of allspice; 1–2 tbsp (14–28 g) salted butter, melted

Description

Imagine the cozy taste of a spiced apple cider donut… but in chewy cookie form, and with a surprise creamy cheesecake filling in the center. That’s exactly what these Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies deliver. Each bite is buttery, spiced, and just sweet enough — finished with melted butter and spiced sugar for the ultimate fall treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Cider Reduction

2 cups (480 ml) apple cider

Cheesecake Center

6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, chilled
3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract

Cookie Dough

1 ¾ cups (218 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 egg yolks, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp (30 ml) cooled apple cider reduction

Spiced Sugar Coating

¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of allspice
1–2 tbsp (14–28 g) salted butter, melted

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Instructions

Step 1: Make the Apple Cider Reduction

Pour the apple cider into a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook until it reduces down to about 2 tablespoons (30 ml). This can take 25–40 minutes depending on your stove. The liquid should become very thick and syrupy.

👉 Important: Keep a close eye on it during the last few minutes — it bubbles rapidly as it finishes. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Once reduced, let it cool completely; it will turn sticky and dense but will blend smoothly into your dough later.

Step 2: Prepare the Cheesecake Filling

Line a small tray with parchment paper. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer). Scoop the mixture into 16 small balls (around 2 tsp each) and place on the tray. Freeze until solid.

Step 3: Mix the Cookie Dough

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Mix in the egg yolks, vanilla, and cooled cider reduction. Don’t worry if bits of the cider reduction are still visible — they’ll melt in as the dough bakes.
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir on low speed until just combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 15–20 minutes so it’s easier to shape.

Step 4: Assemble the Cookies

Scoop the dough into 16 equal portions (about 1 ½ tbsp each). Flatten slightly, place a frozen cheesecake ball in the center, then wrap the dough around it and roll into a smooth ball. Make sure the cheesecake is completely sealed inside. Keep cheesecake balls in the freezer until ready to stuff each batch.

Step 5: Bake

Arrange 6 cookies at a time on your baking sheet. Bake for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges are just set. (11 minutes 30 seconds tends to be perfect.)

When they come out of the oven, quickly use a large round cookie cutter to “scoot” them into neat circles if you want bakery-perfect edges. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 15 minutes, then move to a wire rack.

Step 6: Add the Spiced Sugar Finish

Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a small bowl. Once cookies have cooled, brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle generously with spiced sugar. You can also carefully roll the edges in the mixture for extra coating.

Serve warm or at room temperature — chewy, creamy, and spiced to perfection.

Notes

✨ Baker’s Tips:

The cider reduction is the heart of this recipe — don’t skip it.
Always freeze the cheesecake filling solid; otherwise, it may ooze while baking.
Chill the dough briefly before shaping — it makes stuffing way easier.
For the neatest cookies, use the cookie cutter “scoot” trick right after baking.