Some recipes are just okay. Some are good. Some are memorable. Some are worth adding to your regular rotation.

And then some are so fantastic, they become something exceptional. A new tradition, something to take to special occasions or look forward to all year long.

This is one of those recipes. If you like apples and cinnamon and spices, you absolutely must make these little gems! I have wholeheartedly added these to my list of signature bakes every single fall.

They look unassuming, don’t they? Like simple sandwich cookies. But there is something *chef’s kiss* about this combination. The cookies themselves are perfectly balanced between chewy and crunchy. The filling counters sweetness with the zing of cream cheese. But the pièce de résistance is a hit of unexpected apple butter in the center. It’s the perfectly tart surprise you never knew you needed in an autumn cookie. As one of my taste testers put it, “These cookies have layers of flavor! How did you do that?!”

NOTE: Unfortunately, this recipe does not translate well with sugar alternatives. Several components, including the molasses in the dark brown sugar, are important to the final texture, so alternatives aren’t going to come out right. Instead of making them sugar free, I suggest you make them as written and simply eat fewer.

TIP: If you’re looking for a good, clean apple butter, I highly recommend the Eden brand.

Spiced Apple Sandwich Cookies
(Original recipe: Bake From Scratch)

3/4 C (170g) butter, room temperature
1 C (220g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 C (50g) granulated sugar
1 large egg (50g), room temperature
1/2 tsp (2g) vanilla extract
2-1/4 C (281g) all purpose flour
2 tsp (6g) kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp (3g) apple pie spice
1 tsp (2g) ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp (3.75g) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2g) cream of tartar
Turbinado sugar for rolling

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl when needed. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, apple pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until just combined and stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl if needed.

Using a 1-1/2 TBSP cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls about 34 grams each. Roll each ball in turbinado sugar, and place 1-1/2 – 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour, before baking.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bake until edges are set and center is still slightly soft, 13-16 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 20 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

While cooling, make the cream cheese filling.

Apple Butter Cream Cheese Filling
(Original recipe: Just a Pinch)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 C confectioners’ sugar
1/3 C apple butter, plus more for the inside of each cookie

Blend cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Add apple butter and beat until smooth and well combined.

To build the cookies, pipe a circle of cream cheese filling onto the flat side of a cookie. Carefully spoon a teaspoon of apple butter into the center of each circle. Top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies.