If you’re looking for something impressive to bake for Christmas that’s also super easy, try my brown butter wassail cookies. Inspired by wassail—a holiday drink that’s a twist on hot mulled cider—these cookies start by soaking dried apples in a mixture of apple cider and brandy. The flavor keeps building with nutty brown butter, lots of spices, and a hint of citrus.
These chewy wassail cookies are a fantastic option for making ahead of time because you can prep the cookie dough and freeze it for up to 3 months! It’s a great stress-free option to have on hand for the busy holidays. For more Christmas cookie recipes, try my molasses cookies, fruitcake cookies, and thumbprint cookies.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Apple juice or apple cider — this forms the majority of the soaking liquid to rehydrate and infuse the dried apples with more fruity flavor.
Dried apples — finely chop the dried apples before soaking them.
Brandy — brandy adds depth and complexity to the soaking liquid.
Butter — you will be browning the butter (see my tutorial for how to brown butter for more info), and using it in its liquid form for the recipe. Opt for unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the cookies.
Spices — ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground allspice add warmth and wonderful earthy flavor.
Vanilla — you can use vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
Citrus zest — orange and lemon zest add a lovely brightness that complements the spices in the cookies and gives them a classic wassail flavor.
Sugar — you’ll need dark brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Leavening agents — baking soda and baking powder help the cookies puff up and get the perfect texture.
Egg — an egg helps to bind the cookie dough.
Glaze — for the simple glaze, you need confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) and a few tablespoons of reserved apple-soaking liquid.
How To Make Brown Butter Wassail Cookies
1. Bring the apple cider to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the diced dried apples and the brandy, and remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let the apples soak for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
2. After they’ve soaked, drain the apples through a fine mesh sieve. Gently press them with the back of a spoon to get as much liquid out as possible. Save the soaking liquid for later.
3. Brown the butter by melting it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the solids have separated and turned brown, which takes 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the browned butter to a medium bowl.
4. Then whisk in the ground spices and vanilla. Let the spices bloom for 5 minutes. Whisk in the citrus zest. Add the brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and egg, and whisk until well combined.
5. Add the apples.
6. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
7. Scoop the chilled dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls. Roll the cookie dough balls in the remaining granulated sugar, then place them onto 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake one cookie sheet at a time at 350°F until the edges are set, and the centers appear dry but are not firm to the touch. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the glaze in a medium bowl by whisking together confectioners’ sugar and 3 tablespoons of reserved apple-soaking liquid until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cooled cookies and let the glaze set for at least 30 minutes.
Blooming The Spices Results In Better Flavor
“Blooming spices” refers to the simple technique of heating whole or ground spices in fat (like butter or oil) to bring out their natural flavors. Many flavor compounds in spices are fat-soluble and, therefore, enhanced when heated. So, I like to stir the ground spices in this recipe into the warm brown butter instead of whisking them into the flour mixture. The result? A spicier, more complex, and deeply flavored cookie.
Choose Dried Apple Rings
Choosing the right kind of apples is vital for the perfect wassail cookies. Dried apple rings are the best option. They are a bit squishy or puffy, with a chewy texture. Avoid dehydrated apples or apple chips, which tend to be more leathery or crisp.
How To Store
Store these cookies in an airtight container in a single layer between sheets of parchment paper. They can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use wassail for the soaking liquid. If you’re making a batch of delicious wassail or have leftovers from a party, feel free to use it as the soaking liquid for the apples instead of apple juice or cider.
- Weigh the flour. Using too much flour will yield dry, crumbly cookies. The best way to avoid this is to weigh the flour using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a spoon.
- Chill the dough. This gives it a chance to firm up. Otherwise, it is a bit too soft to roll into balls and coat with sugar.
- If the powdered sugar glaze is too thick, add an additional 1 tablespoon of soaking liquid or brandy, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Glaze the cookies once they are completely cool. If the cookies are still warm, the glaze may melt and run off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Scoop the chilled cookie dough into balls and place on a baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container (with parchment paper between layers) for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, coat the cookie dough balls with sugar.
Yes. Skip the brandy and add more apple cider, apple juice, or wassail instead.
Definitely not! I like the added flavor and appearance of the glaze, but it can be left off if you prefer. Alternatively, you can bake the cookies a day or two in advance and glaze them shortly before serving.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this brown butter wassail cookies recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Brown Butter Wassail Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- ¾ cup apple juice or cider (180mL)
- 1 cup very finely chopped dried apples (80g)
- ⅓ cup brandy (80mL)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227g)
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (about 1 orange)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (220g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar divided (100g)
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (330g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
For the Glaze:
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons reserved apple soaking liquid (45 to 60mL)
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- In a small pot, bring the apple cider to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the apple pieces and the brandy and remove from the heat. Cover and let the apples soak for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Drain the apples through a fine mesh sieve, gently pressing them with the back of a spoon to release extra liquid. Reserve the soaking liquid for the glaze.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking until the solids have separated and turned brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in the cinnamon, ginger, all-spice, and vanilla into the browned butter, and let the spices bloom for 5 minutes. Whisk in the orange and lemon zest.
- Add the brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g), and egg, and whisk until well combined. Stir in the apples.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir together with a spatula until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls (about 40g) and roll in the remaining ¼ cup (50g) of granulated sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are set and the centers appear dry but are not firm to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 3 tablespoons of reserved apple-soaking liquid until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add the additional 1 tablespoon of soaking liquid, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Drizzle the icing over the top of the cooled cookies. Let the glaze set for at least 30 minutes, or until hardened and dry, before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use wassail for the soaking liquid. If you’re making a batch of delicious wassail or have leftovers from a party, feel free to use it as the soaking liquid for the apples instead of apple juice or cider.
- Weigh the flour. Using too much flour will yield dry, crumbly cookies. The best way to avoid this is to weigh the flour using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a spoon.
- Chill the dough. This gives it a chance to firm up. Otherwise, it is a bit too soft to roll into balls and coat with sugar.
- If the powdered sugar glaze is too thick, add an additional 1 tablespoon of soaking liquid or brandy, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Glaze the cookies once they are completely cool. If the cookies are still warm, the glaze may melt and run off.
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