Apple Jack Cookies

 

I love this time of year, Harvest Time  . . .  when we are finished with all of the summer food and digging into Autumn goodies.  

Delicious things made using root vegetables and orchard fruits.  Delicious things like these Apple Jack Cookie recipe that I am sharing with you today! 

 

WHAT IS APPLE JACK

Apple Jack is a type of  strong cider that was popular during the American Colonial age.  "Jacking" is the term which was used to describe how they produced this specific cider.  The fermented apple cider was frozen and then the ice crystals were removed. What was left was a much more potent alcoholic drink. Technically speaking it is a type of apple brandy.

The only thing these cookies have in common with this drink is the name and apples.  There is no cider or brandy in these cookies!

 

These cookies are very similar in texture to a favorite crisp Chocolate Chip Cookie.  Crisp edged . . .  buttery and chewy with  almost caramel like in the centers . . .

My chocolate chip cookie recipe was legendary when I worked at the Manor.  Whenever I was baking them the staff would appear in the kitchen from all over the house, hoping to snag one, or two, or three. I don't call them the World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie for nothing!  They have truly earned that reputation.

 

If you were to take away the chocolate chips and replace them with bits of sweet eating apple . . . this cookie would be very similar to those.

I guarantee these cookies are cookie jar approved!   Don't you just love this cookie jar.  Its an old McCoy cookie jar from the 1940's.  I bought it at a yard sale many moons ago.  I also had a Cowboy pig one, but he broke when I moved him over here to the UK.   

This girl is not worth anything to anyone but me.  She holds a bazillion cookie recipe memories from whoever had her in the beginning on up to myself  . . .  as well as all the many dozens of cookies I stored in her when I had a large family to bake for.  

She is the epitome of a mother's love for her children, so I guess that makes her pretty priceless to me!

 

Anyways, back to the cookies.  They are a simple brown sugar butter cookie . . .  the brown sugar makes them chewy, almost brownie-like  . . .  the butter gives them lovely crisp edges. 

The brown sugar also gives them an almost caramel-flavor which goes really well with the apple chunks.  I was sorely tempted to add some raisins and chopped walnuts to these, but I thought  would be a purist this time and just have apples in them. 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE APPLE JACK COOKIES

This delicious apple cookie recipe requires only a few simple basic ingredients.  There is nothing out of the ordinary here! 

200g soft light brown sugar (1 cup)

110g white vegetable shortening (1/2 cup)

1 large free range egg

210g plain flour (1 1/2 cup)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 medium eating apple, chopped 

  

The original recipe called for white vegetable shortening. I have never made them from anything else. In the UK, a comparable white vegetable shortening would be TREX which is available in the chiller cabinet in the grocery store, near the butters.  

You could also use white flora.

If you are tempted to use all butter, I cannot guarantee perfect results, as I have never done so myself. I am a person that doesn't mind using shortening every now and then.

 

HOW TO SUBSTITUTE BUTTER FOR SHORTENING IN A COOKIE RECIPE

Generally speaking you should use a 1 to 1 ration when substituting butter for shortening. Do know, however, that making this substitution may alter the texture of your baked goods.  This is because shortening is a solid fat and butter is a mix of fat and water.

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU USE ALL BUTTER IN THIS RECIPE

The dough for cookies made with all butter is generally softer than those made with shortening and so may spread more in the oven. Do leave ample space between the cookies.  They are usually much crisper rather than chewy and the flavor will also be much richer.

 

There is a hint of spice in these cookies . . . nutmeg.  I always freshly grate my nutmeg.  I use my fine micro plane grater to do that.  Works a charm.   Freshly grated nutmeg has a nicer flavor than the nutmeg which you buy already ground.

Nutmeg is one of those spices which starts to lose some of it's strength once it is grated or ground. There is no telling how long that nutmeg in the jar ready-ground has been ground. I prefer to grate my own so then I know for sure that  it is really fresh.

  

Nutmeg is a spice that goes very well with apples and sweet potatoes and pumpkins  . . .  and carrots,  I always add a touch of freshly grated nutmeg to my steamed carrots along with a knob of butter, a pinch of sugar and a bit of salt and pepper.  

Everyone always loves my carrots when I serve them.  Nutmeg is my secret ingredient. I adore nutmeg, don't you?  It has a flavor that goes very well with anything autumn . . .  Or should I say was my secret, now that I have shared it with all of you . . .  and I really hope you try it.

 

HOW TO MAKE APPLE JACK COOKIES

As with most drop cookies, these cookies are very simple to make and to bake. Not to mention, eat. They do have a habit of getting in the mouth!

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line several baking sheets with non stick baking paper. Set aside.

Cream  together the brown sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg.  Stir in the nutmeg, salt and soda, until well combined. 

 

Stir in the flour until well combined.  Stir in the apple pieces.  Roll into 1-inch balls and then place onto the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches in between each.

Bake for 8 to 10  minutes until light brown.  Leave on baking sheet for several minutes
before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.  

Store baked cookies in a loosely covered container.

 

I hope you will bake these lovely pig approved cookies  . . . they are truly delicious!  So delicious in fact that you might actually make a pig of yourself eating them!  Bet you can't eat just one!!!

An ice old glass of milk or a hot cup of apple cider would not go amiss with one or two or three of these tasty cookies!

  

If you are a fan of cookies and milk, you might also enjoy the following:

COCONUT LIME OATMEAL COOKIES - Homemade oatmeal cookies have always been popular in my family. These are especially delicious with crisp buttery edges, and a soft chewy middle.  They also contain plenty of shredded coconut, which  adds to the moreish chewiness.  Flavored with lime  (zest and juice), and vanilla.

QUARTER CUP COOKIES - This small batch recipe makes only 13 beautiful cookies. Every mouthful brings you a taste of your favorite flavors.  You get the savory edge of peanut butter.  The caramel-like sweetness of brown sugar.  The rich chocolate chips. The sticky sweetness of raisins. Combine that with the wholesome nuttiness of oats and coconut, along with the crunch of toasted pecans, and you have a very moreish combination.  

Yield: Approximately 2 dozenAuthor: Marie Rayner

Apple Jack Cookies

prep time: 10 minscook time: 10 minstotal time: 20 mins

Think of your favourite chocolate chip cookie, chewy and slightly caramel like, but stuffed with chunks of apple instead of chocolate chips.  Moreish!

ingredients:

200g soft light brown sugar (1 cup)

110g white vegetable shortening (1/2 cup)

1 large free range egg

210g plain flour (1 1/2 cup)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 medium eating apple, chopped

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line several baking sheets with non stick baking paper. Set aside.

Cream
 together the brown sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.  Beat
in the egg.  Stir in the nutmeg, salt and soda, until well combined. 
Stir in the flour until well combined.  Stir in the apple pieces.  Roll
into 1 inch balls and then place onto the baking sheets, leaving 2
inches in between each.

Bake for 8 to 10
minutes until light brown.  Leave on baking sheet for several minutes
before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in a
loosely covered container.

Created using The Recipes Generator 

 

I got the recipe for these cookies from the same supermarket booklet that I got the cake from yesterday.  They seemed very Autumnal and Thanksgiving-ee to me.  I hope they will appeal to you as well!  Bon Appetite and Happy Autumn! 

Note - for the crispness these are best eaten on the day, however a day later they settle into a very moreish fudginess, probably due to the apple bits.

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

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