Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
Craving the cozy flavors of apple pie in a quick, shareable treat? Caramel Apple Pie Cookies combine tender apples, warm spices, and gooey caramel in a soft, cinnamon-sugar-coated cookie.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup 225g salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup 200g granulated sugar
- ½ cup 100g packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups 360g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
Apple Filling
- 4 large apples 750g, peeled and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- ¼ cup 55g salted butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp 30ml apple cider (or 1 tsp lemon juice)
- ½ cup 100g packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup 200g granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp 85g salted butter, cubed
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp 135ml heavy cream
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Crumble Topping
- ¼ cup 55g salted butter, melted
- ¼ cup 50g packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp 20g granulated sugar
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp 70g all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
- 2 ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, I cream 1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup brown sugar with a mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute. I add 1 ½ tsp vanilla and 2 eggs, mixing until combined. In another bowl, I whisk 3 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, 1 ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp allspice, and ⅛ tsp cloves. I gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, forming a dough, then chill it for 30 minutes.
Prepare the Apple Filling
- I peel and dice 4 apples into ¼-inch pieces. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, I cook the apples with ¼ cup butter, 2 tbsp apple cider, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp cloves for 15–18 minutes until tender and thickened. I cool the filling in a bowl.
Make the Caramel Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, I melt 1 cup granulated sugar, stirring until amber-colored. I add 6 tbsp butter, then slowly stir in ½ cup + 1 tbsp cream, mixing until smooth. I add a pinch of sea salt and cool for 20 minutes until thickened.
Scoop and Chill Dough
- I scoop the chilled dough into 12 balls (65g each) using a large cookie scoop, then chill in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 hours or freezer for 2 hours to prevent spreading.
Bake the Crumble
- I preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. I mix ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ tbsp granulated sugar, ½ cup + 1 tbsp flour, ¾ tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt into crumbs. I spread them on the baking sheet and bake for 12–14 minutes until golden, then break into pieces.
Bake the Cookies
- I preheat the oven to 365°F (185°C) and line baking sheets with parchment. I mix ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 ¾ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ⅛ tsp allspice, and ⅛ tsp cloves for the coating. I roll the chilled dough balls in the mixture, place 6 per sheet, and bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are set. I press an indent in each cookie’s center after 1–2 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Assemble and Serve
- I spoon cooled apple filling into each cookie’s indent, sprinkle with crumble, and drizzle with caramel sauce. I serve these Caramel Apple Pie Cookies warm for maximum coziness.