Baking with Basil

I feel like I’ve been putting apple in everything these last few weeks.  For breakfast with granola, for lunch with cheese, in soups, and now in desserts!  I’ve always had a thing for apples.  When I was growing up my mom used to mix some into our oatmeal in the mornings, and it made that bowl of lumpy weirdness taste sooo much better.  The big spoonfuls of brown sugar helped too.   I love this time of year when they are overflowing the supermarket aisles and every local farmers market stand.  I picked up a few extra this weekend in anticipation of some apple baked goodness!

These cookie cups turned out better than I expected!!  At first I thought I left them in too long because they were a little more “golden” than I would have preferred, but they were perfect!  I gave my apple slices more of a rough chop so you could see the each piece wrapped in cookie sweetness.  So like all things, although these are good plain, the maple frosting adds a whole different flavor profile.  I wasn’t sure if I liked the crunch from the brown sugar, but it grew on me.  Embrace the crunch, my friends.  It doesn’t have to be a long embrace, but try it out.  You might like it!?!  Overall, these are definitely a keeper and will be making them again and again!  They even got a raving review from the hubby!!

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(Printable Recipe)

Apple Cookie Cup with Maple Brown Sugar Frosting

Recipe from Today’s Nest

Ingredients

Apple Cookie Cup

• ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¼ cup shortening
• 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup fresh apple unpeeled, finely chopped
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup milk

Maple Brown Sugar Frosting

• 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter – softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Sift together flour, soda, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

3.  Place butter, shortening and sugar in a bowl and mix on medium speed until well combined.

4.  Add egg, vanilla, and salt.  Mix again on medium high until light and fluffy.

5.  With mixer on low-speed slowly add in dry ingredients just until combined.  Add milk and mix again until well combined.

6.  Add in raisins (optional) and chopped apple.  Mix only until well combined.

7.  If making cookie cups, place tablespoonfuls into a prepared mini muffin pan.  If  making cookies, place by spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets.

8.  Bake cookie cups for 12-14 minutes or cookies for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

9.  Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Allow cookie cups to cool in pan for about 8-10 minutes and then carefully transfer to cooling rack.

10.  After completely cool, top with Maple Brown Sugar Frosting

Maple Brown Sugar Frosting

1.  Place sugars and butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until well combined.

2.  With mixer on medium, add  maple syrup in a slow steady stream.  Add in vanilla.

3.  Increase speed to medium high and mix until fluffy and light.

4.  Place Frosting into piping bag and pipe onto cookie cups.