Apple-Raisin Drop Cookies

These apple raisin drop cookies start with a yellow cake mix doctored up with sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, shredded fresh apple, and raisins. They bake up soft and cakey with pockets of fruit throughout, then get a dusting of powdered sugar on top.

Sour cream replaces the oil or butter you’d normally add to a cake mix. It keeps the cookies incredibly moist and adds a subtle tang that plays well with the apple and warm spices. The cake mix base means the dough comes together in one bowl with no creaming or sifting.

Shredding the apple coarsely rather than dicing it is what makes these work. The shreds melt into the cookie during baking, releasing moisture and apple flavor into every bite instead of sitting as distinct chunks.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a firm apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Soft apples turn to mush and make the dough too wet.
• Drop by heaping teaspoon, not tablespoon. These are meant to be small, bite-sized cookies.
• Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are golden but the centers still look soft. They firm up as they cool.
• Dust with powdered sugar after the cookies have cooled at least 5 minutes so the sugar doesn’t melt into the surface.

Variations

• Swap raisins for dried cranberries for a tarter, more seasonal cookie.
• Add chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
• Drizzle with a maple glaze instead of powdered sugar for a fall-flavored finish.