Description
Delight in these soft and flavorful Apple Pie Cookies with Caramel, combining tender cookie dough with warm cinnamon-spiced apples and finished with a luscious caramel drizzle. Perfect for a cozy dessert or an indulgent snack that captures the essence of classic apple pie in a cookie form.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
Apple Mixture
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Topping
- Pre-made caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy, which takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Extracts and Egg: Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg until the ingredients are fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated to avoid overworking the dough.
- Prepare Apple Mixture: In a small bowl, toss the finely diced apples with lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to evenly coat and enhance flavor.
- Incorporate Apples into Dough: Gently fold the apple mixture into the cookie dough until the apples are evenly distributed throughout.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes.
- Cool and Drizzle Caramel: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. After cooling, drizzle each cookie generously with pre-made caramel sauce before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use tart apples like Granny Smith for balance against the sweetness.
- Make sure butter is softened but not melted to achieve proper texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to keep cookies tender.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
