Symbolizing hope for the year to come, apples and honey are a popular sweet indulgence during Rosh Hashanah. Here, the pair star in big, tender cookies that are perfect for the holiday, or any fall occasion. The apples are grated, squeezed dry and folded into the batter. And each treat is topped with a slice of apple hinting at what’s inside.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 8 large cookies |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup old-fashion oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey or honey alternative, such as agave nectar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 Granny Smith apples
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup honey or honey alternative, such as agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- For the cookies: Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the vegetable oil, brown sugar, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, honey, egg and vanilla bean paste together in a large bowl until smooth. Fold the flour mixture into the oil mixture until combined.
- Shred 2 of the apples on the large holes of a box grater. Place them in the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather up the sides and twist the cloth to wring out excess liquid. (You should have about 1 cup of shredded apples.) Fold the shredded apples into the batter until combined. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls, each about 3 ounces. Gently roll the balls until smooth and place them on 2 baking sheets. Thinly slice the remaining apple into 1/8-inch-thick slices and choose 8 slices (the center cuts of the apple will look the best; be sure to remove any seeds). Reserve the remaining slices for another use. Gently press an apple slice on top of each cookie. Sprinkle the apple slices with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.
- Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until the edges are just golden brown and the middles are set, 23 to 25 minutes. (The dough underneath the apple slices may still look raw, but they will set as they cool.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- For the honey glaze: Combine the confectioners’ sugar, honey, vanilla bean paste, kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon water in a medium bowl until smooth. Add more water 1/4 teaspoon at a time, if needed, until the glaze drizzles nicely. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the glaze.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 498 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 84 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 51 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Cholesterol | 23 mg |
| Sodium | 415 mg |