Caramel Apple Cookies
Soft and chewy Caramel Apple Cookies are filled with fresh diced apple and gooey caramel bits. This easy fall dessert is the cookie form of a classic fall flavor combination.
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Caramel Apple Cookies bring together the tart, sweet combination I loved as a kid. They’re inspired by one of my favorite Halloween candies, the green apple lollipops coated in caramel. If you remember those, this cookie is a nod to them.
My caramel apple cookies are soft, chewy and bursting with flavor in every bite. They’re like a grown-up cousin to Caramel Apple Pops.
Ingredients You’ll Need
With diced Granny Smith apple, gooey caramel bits and warm apple pie spice, this caramel apple cookie recipe is perfect for fall baking. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Caramel Bits – The pea-sized Kraft Caramel Bits are what I always use for this recipe. They’re sold near chocolate chips in most grocery stores. You also can use chopped bits of regular caramels, ensuring they have a similar shape for even distribution.
- Granny Smith apple – The bright green apple adds tartness and the essential flavor to balance sweetness of the caramel. Make sure to peel and dice into petite pieces.
- Apple pie spice – I used Primal Palate Apple Pie Spice to develop this recipe, but you can substitute whatever blend you have available. You also can make a simplified version by combining ¾ teaspoon cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
You’ll also need unsalted butter, granulated and dark brown sugar, an egg, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda and sea salt, the pantry staples that make up any good cookie dough. Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Tips for Baking Caramel Apple Cookies
- Dice apples small. Petite diced apple (¼-inch pieces) ensures the fruit blends well into the dough without creating excess moisture pockets.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. This helps prevent the caramel bits from sticking as they melt.
- Watch the bake time. Pull the cookies when the edges are set and golden and the tops no longer look wet. The centers will look soft but not raw, and they finish setting on the baking sheet.
- Space cookies generously. Depending on the altitude and other factors, these cookies can spread as they bake. Give them at least a couple of inches between each scoop.
- Cool before storing. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Trapped steam makes them soggy and shortens their shelf life.
- No cookie scoop? Use a spoon to roughly measure 1½ tablespoons of dough and gently form into balls using your hands.
- Show the ingredients. Reserve a few caramel bits and diced apple pieces to press into the top of each cookie ball. That way everyone can easily see what’s inside!
- Substituting dried apples. You can replace the diced fresh apple with dried if you want less moisture, but the overall texture is different. I prefer the small pockets of fresh apple in combination with the gooey caramel.
How to Store Caramel Apple Cookies
Fresh apple gives these cookies a soft texture, but it also shortens their shelf life compared to a plain sugar cookie. That’s why I developed this to be a smaller-batch recipe. Keep them in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days or, once fully cooled, store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers so the caramel bits do not stick together.
If you’re looking for a fun and nostalgic way to enjoy fall flavors, these apple and caramel cookies are a great way to dip your toe into the cozy season. This simple cookie recipe is a nice way to kick off fall baking, celebrate Halloween or even to make for a Thanksgiving dessert table.
If you’re in a fall baking mood, my Chocolate Chipless Cookies are just as easy to bake and can be customized with whatever mix-ins you have on hand.
Caramel Apple Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- ½ cup Granny Smith apple, about ½ large apple, peeled and petite diced
- ½ cup Caramel Bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix for another 1 to 1½ minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and apple pie spice.
- Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix again until no streaks remain.
- Gently stir in diced apple and Caramel Bits.
- Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop (#40), portion dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden and the tops no longer look wet or glossy. The centers will look soft but should not look raw. They firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 18 cookies.
Notes
- Cookies are best enjoyed fresh. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Because the fresh apple adds moisture, cookies will soften as they sit.
- For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days total, or freeze baked and cooled cookies in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
- No apple pie spice? Substitute ¾ teaspoon cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Have you tried using dried apples? That might solve the problem of moisture pockets and letting them sit for more than a few days. I’m excited to try your recipe!
Hi, Mary. These do work well with dried apples, though it results in a different texture. I prefer the slight moisture from the little fresh, chopped apple bits.
I tried this recipe and the cookies were amazing! Tons of compliments from friends and family.
The most AMAZING cookies!!!
So tasty!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
I have made these three times in two weeks! They are my family’s new favorite recipe. Cannot get enough of them.
I’m so glad these have made the recipe rotation in your house. They definitely go quickly, especially fresh out of the oven!
Pretty darn good cookies, Reed! I’m not even a cookie guy, per se, but I really like these.
I’m so glad you liked these, Drew! They’re definitely a tasty way to usher in the fall season.
Ridiculously good – and so easy to make! Baked these today as a back-to-school treat and they came out perfectly without changing a thing… though my oven needed three more minutes to get the job done. Saving this recipe forever!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies. The nostalgic caramel apple flavor is a welcome sign fall is near.