Caramel Apple Cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramel apple cookie recipe, caramel apple cookies

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 234kcal

These Caramel Apple Cookies are the ultimate fall treat! Soft, brown butter cookies filled with warm spiced apples, drizzled with rich caramel, and topped with a crisp, buttery streusel for the perfect bite of autumn in every cookie. These cookies are the perfect cozy treat for crisp fall days and holiday dessert tables!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the filling:

3 large granny smith apples peeled and diced (about 4 ½ cups or 500g)
⅓ cup light brown sugar 67g
4 tablespoons water 60g
2 tablespoons salted butter 28g
1 tablespoon lemon juice 15g
1 tablespoon cornstarch 8g
1 ½ teaspoon apple pie spice 3-4g
pinch fine sea salt

For the cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter 227g
1 cup light brown sugar 200g
½ cup granulated sugar 100g
2 large eggs 100g
2 teaspoons vanilla extract about 8.4g
3 cups all-purpose flour 360g
1 tablespoon cornstarch 8g
1 teaspoon apple pie spice 2-3g
1 teaspoon baking soda 4g
½ teaspoon fine sea salt 3g

For the streusel topping:

¼ cup all-purpose flour 30g
1 tablespoon light brown sugar 12g
1 tablespoon granulated sugar 12g
1 tablespoon salted butter cold (14g)
pinch fine sea salt

For the caramel topping: (makes about 1/3 cup)

10 Kraft caramel candies unwrapped
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

Apple Filling

Combine all filling ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes or until your desired tenderness. Stir occasionally. Test try around the 15 minute mark. Set aside to cool. Note: This can be done up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before using on the cookies.
3 large granny smith apples, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 4 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoon apple pie spice, pinch fine sea salt

Cookies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring intermittently, for 8-10 minutes or until frothy and golden. Avoid burning.
1 cup unsalted butter
Combine browned butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
1 cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add the flour, cornstarch, apple pie spice, baking soda and salt to the mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Scoop the dough into balls, each about 2 tablespoons in size. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between cookies.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Use the back of a spoon to press an indent in the centers of each cookie. Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix flour, light brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Then cut in butter with a pastry cutter, fork or your fingertips until combined and clumpy. There should not be any dry flour showing.
¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon salted butter, pinch fine sea salt
Spread out on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp.
Set aside to cool. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.

Caramel Sauce

Melt caramels and cream together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is smooth. (Note: if caramel sauce is too thick to drizzle, simply heat it up on the stove or in the microwave for a short time until it thins out.)
10 Kraft caramel candies, 2 tablespoons heavy cream

To Assemble

Fill centers of each cookie with about 1 tablespoon of apple mixture. Drizzle caramel over top, then sprinkle on the streusel. (I recommend assembling cookies just before serving for optimal texture.)

Notes

Storage Information

Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftover cookies for up to 2 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. If cookies are not assembled, all ingredients can last up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

To Freeze: Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding an additional 1-2 minutes of bake time. Freeze baked cookies without apple pie filling or caramel drizzle for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then assemble with apple pie filling, caramel sauce and streusel.

Please see post above for more information, recipe tips and frequently asked questions.

Nutrition