1 c Cider
1 c Currants
2 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1 ts Ground cloves
1/2 ts Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Unsalted butter; room
-temperature
2 c Packed dark-brown sugar
1 c Apple Butter; see recipe
1 lg Egg; room temp
2 1/2 c Old-fashioned oats
3 Apples – (to 4); such as
-Idared
Or Empire
Sugar; for sprinkling
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat
nonstick baking mat. Heat the cider in a small saucepan to a simmer.
Place the currants in a bowl; pour the warm cider over them. Let
plump at least 10 minutes. Sift together the flour, baking soda,
cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an
electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until
fluffy, using the paddle attachment. On low speed, add the apple
butter and beat until well blended. Add the egg and continue beating
until well blended. The mixture will look slightly curdled, but it
will pull together when you add the dry ingredients. Add the dry
ingredients, beating until just combined. Drain the currants,
discarding cider. Mix in currants and oats until just combined. Using
the largest holes on box grater, shred one of the apples directly
into the dough, rotating to avoid seeds and core. Stir well to
combine. Using a one-ounce scoop, scoop out 6 cookies about 2 inches
apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Core two to three apples, and,
using a Japanese mandoline or a sharp knife, slice thinly. Place a
thinly sliced apple ring on top of each cookie. (Repeat with the
fourth apple if needed.) Sprinkle the top of each with a pinch of
sugar, if desired. Bake until dark brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Repeat
with the remaining batter. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Yields
36 servings