Caramel Apple Cookies
Get the perfect taste of fall in every single bite of these caramel apple cookies. These easy homemade cookies are soft chewy and studded with diced apples, gooey caramel bits, and the perfect hint of classic pie spices.
Baking is a Fall staple in our home, whether it’s preparing for holidays or just making cozy treats that embrace our favorite flavors of the season.
And baking cookies are a time honored tradition I’ve done with my kids since they were old enough to dump something into a bowl and lick a beater.
These caramel apple cookies are cookie recipe that’s easy to make, and every bite tastes just like sweater weather season.
Basically, if your Grandma’s apple pie and soft chewy cookies had a baby, this would be it.
Ingredients Needed
While these cookies are from scratch, the ingredients list is pretty standard for cookie dough with just a couple easy to access extras needed.
To make them you’ll need:
- Butter – Unsalted, but if you need to use salted butter- then omit the salt that’s called for later on.
- Sugar – Both granulated sugar and brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla – You can use either real or imitation vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Baking Soda – Don’t omit this ingredient, because baking soda is what helps the cookies rise during baking.
- Salt
- Spices – A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cardamom combine to give these cookies the perfect pie spice flavor.
- Flour – All purpose
- Apples – Granny Smith variety recommended
- Caramel – Caramel baking bits
Once you’ve gathered and measured your ingredients, you’re ready to begin.
How To Make
Making these caramel apple cookies is surprisingly easy, especially given that they’re made from scratch.
Start by adding the softened butter and both sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream them together until nice & smooth.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract, whipping again until evenly incorporated and smooth.
Add the baking soda, salt, spices, and flour to the bowl. Mixing gently, gradually increasing the speed, until evenly incorporated into a smooth batter.
Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula several times while mixing to be sure everything is completely incorporated.
Using the same spatula fold in both the diced apples and caramel baking bits until evenly distributed and combined. Be careful not to overmix so you don’t turn the caramel apple cookie dough tough.
Scoop the cookie dough out using a medium sized cookie scoop into dollops on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Be sure to arrange them all 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes, just until the cookies have set and the edges are slightly browned.
Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool significantly.
Serve with a glass of cold milk, tea, or coffee and enjoy!
Storing
Because these cookies have fresh fruit in them they will need to be refrigerated.
Completely cooled caramel apple cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Don’t have a stand mixer? Use a mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer instead. I don’t recommend mixing these cookies by hand however, because it takes some serious upper arm strength.
- When you add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, start mixing very slowly at first to avoid them blooming up and over the bowl and coating your kitchen. Gradually increase the speed as they mix in until everything’s evenly incorporated into a coherent batter.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times while you mix the batter to ensure everything’s evenly incorporated.
- We recommend using a medium sized cookie scoop. Using a smaller size will result in smaller cookies and slightly reduce the bake time. Be sure to arrange your cookie scoops at least two inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
Other Easy Cookie Recipes
These caramel apple cookies taste like a warm apple pie, but in a chewy cookie.
They’re the perfect bite sized way to enjoy your favorite flavors of Fall.
Looking for other easy cookie recipes to enjoy?
Try these:
- Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Cookies & Cream Pudding Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Quick & Easy Trail Mix Cookies
- Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
If you’ve tried these CARAMEL APPLE COOKIES, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Caramel Apple Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ c unsalted butter softened
- ½ c brown sugar
- ½ c sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 t baking soda
- ½ t salt
- ½ t cinnamon
- ¼ t allspice
- ¼ t nutmeg
- ⅛ t ginger
- ⅛ t cardamom
- 2 ½ c flour
- 2 apples peeled and finely diced
- ½ c caramel bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheet(s) with parchment and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Cream until smooth.¾ c unsalted butter, ½ c brown sugar, ½ c sugar
- Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined.1 egg, 1 t vanilla
- Add in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and flour. Mix thoroughly - scraping the sides often and mixing again.1 t baking soda, ½ t salt, ½ t cinnamon, ¼ t allspice, ¼ t nutmeg, ⅛ t ginger, ⅛ t cardamom, 2 ½ c flour
- Fold in the diced apple pieces and caramel bits just until distributed. Do not overmix at this step.2 apples, ½ c caramel bits
- Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop out the dough and place on your prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown.
- Allow to cool, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
