One of the benefits of writing about food is being asked by others to come up with new recipes. A month or so back, a kind lady from Musselman’s emailed me and offered to send me a bottle of Musselman’s Apple Butter so that I could come up with a tasty new use for it. I eagerly agreed to do my best and as a result of my own cravings and a little bit of creativity, these Scottish Tea Cookies with Apple Butter were born.
I’m only beginning to appreciate apple butter. I grew up enjoying it although it seems it was only around after trips to visit family in Ontario, Canada which was a short two hour drive or so from my childhood home in the foothills of New York state’s Adirondack mountains. To this day, I haven’t figured out why there seemed to be no local source of apple butter in those parts. As time goes on though I’m beginning so surmise it was a great excuse of my mom and dad to pay visits to their dear cousins who lived north of the border.
A few months back, we picked up some apple butter from a local farmer’s market and I put together this apple butter meatloaf which turned out really, really tasty. From that experience I learned that apple butter is compatible with just about anything you can think of. Apple butter goes well with bread, meat, as a side, and as I found out with this recipe – cookies. Aside from the jar of Mussleman’s apple butter that was sent to me, the Mennonite Community Cookbook, a standard kitchen “Bible” in our family, provided me with some further inspiration via its Scottish Tea Cookie recipe which I modified for these cookies. As a sugar base, powdered sugar is used in these in lieu of the granulated form. This helps construct a soft yet firm cookie, almost biscuit-like in the old English sense. A dollop of apple butter is seated in a center well and the rest is… dreamy. Addictive. Delicious. And fall. Pick up some apple butter and make these. They are simple and they will make you smile and crave just one more. Happy fall. -Dan
The Good people from Musselman’s Apple Butter are offering a free jar of their apple butter to one lucky follower of Platter Talk. Details and entry information follow below. Good luck!
Never Miss Another Platter Talk Recipe
Scottish Tea Cookies with Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup apple butter
Instructions
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Combine salt, sugar, shortening and butter.
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Add flour a bit at a time, working in like a pastry to a crumbly consistency.
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In separate bowl, beat eggs and and vanilla.
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Add egg mixture to flour mixture and mix till smooth.
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Chill dough in fridge for at least one hour.
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Shape chilled dough into balls 1 inch in diameter.
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Place dough balls on greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and flatten with palm of hand.
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Use thumb to create well in center of each cookie.
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Place a few tablespoons of apple butter in small zip-lock bag.
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Snip corner of bag with scissors to create small opening.
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Squeeze apple butter into each well, filling slightly above level of dough.
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Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until light brown in color.
I haven’t used apple butter in a really long time, so I hope I win! 🙂 Usually I would use it on bread though, just as a treat. I have a feeling I could have a lot of fun with it if I actually put my mind to it.
Good luck, Michelle and thanks for entering our giveaway!
I wish I had your creativity Dan, what a brilliant use of Apple Butter!
As always a wonderful read and fantastic recipe Dan. You are my Spotlight Blogger today with this recipe linked.
What a great way to use apple butter! I never would have thought of cookies. When my kids were young they loved it on toast made with homemade bread. I always loved it on quick breads like apple walnut bread & pumpkin bread. Yum!its also good when you sauté apple slices to go with pork roast or chops, mix some apple butter with it. I’d love to win-thanks for the chance.
Hi Deb, thanks for the comments. We have been using a lot of apple butter this fall and I just finished our second batch of making our own. Keep an eye out for our delicious and easy recipe of making apple butter as well as a couple more recipes that use it!
Favorite way to eat Apple Butter……..on homemade bread or rolls!
Jody, I can think of no better way!
I love it on biscuits
Peanut butter a d apple butter sandwiches 🙂
hot fresh out of the oven rolls 😀
We use it primarily as a spread for toast or biscuits, but they have an endless number of recipes that use apple butter on their site that I would like to try.
David, I can think of no better methods of enjoying apple butter. I’m happy to say too that we are diving in, head-first, to the delicious task of recipe development of apple butter delicacies. I hope you will check back soon to see some of the great things we are putting together!
I haven’t used apple butter in a recipe other than putting apple butter on biscuits or toasted bread!! I would love to try the recipe you shared and others!! Thank you!!
Thanks for the comments, Tiffany. We’ve got more great apple butter recipes cooking, please be sure to check back!
Apple butter on homemade biscuits or rolls is the best.
MMM on hot homemade biscuits yum yum
I have not used it before, but I would try it on buttered toast
I love using Apple Butter in my recipes for homemade bread.
OMG I love Apple Butter, great on biscuits
Apple butter is truly a fall favorite at our house and these little jam prints are so cute. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy
I like it on bagels
I like putting apple butter, pumpkin butter and peanut butter on honey wheat bread. It’s a perfect autumn sandwich!
I love using apple butter on toast, on waffles, on any type of carb really. I’m also known for putting some on a spoon and eating it that way. It’s so good.
Wow — I love all of the recipes above. I will definitely have to try some. So far, my favorite use is simple, I love it spread on an toasted English muffin with a cup of hot tea. Your oatmeal and apple butter bars look great.
Apple butter is great on hot fruit muffins.
I have never used apple butter. I would love to try it on toast. I would love to try it is some recipes.
I have to admit that I’ve never cooked/baked with apple butter. But I love smearing it on my toast! It’s delicious!
I love apple butter on my bagel.
My use is pretty simple. I love apple butter on homemade biscuits.
I love topping cottage cheese with apple butter for a healthy snack. Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
Apple Spice Bread
I love to put it on croissants!
I love apple butter on toast.
Ive never had apple butter, this is so interesting
sibabe64 at ptd dot net
These cookies look great, I love apple butter. I have pinned this to try, they look like they’d be a perfect fall cookie! 🙂
I love it on toast
I like it on toast, with butter.
I really love the Apple Butter Meatloaf recipe!
Thank You for the chance
I love it on a nice warm buttery biscuit, or….in a spoon straight to the mouth!!
These cookies are so pretty. I love that you used apple butter, rather than jelly. You are being featured this week, at Simple Supper Tuesday. I hope you can join us again, starting at 8pm, on Monday night!
Oh my gosh, these cookies look too delicious. Never even heard of apple butter until coming across this post. Will definitely need to check that out. Thanks!
Peter, I hope you try the cookies AND some apple butter! Thanks for the great comments.