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Caramel Apple Cookies

Caramel apple cookies with soft, golden centers and finely diced apples mixed into buttery dough studded with caramel bits. Baked until just golden at the edges, then finished with a caramel drizzle and flaky sea salt.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel apple cookie dough
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb unsalted butter softer texture for creaming
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup apples peeled, very finely diced, patted completely dry
  • 1 cup caramel bits or soft caramels chopped
  • 0.25 cup caramel sauce for finishing
  • 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt for finishing

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix dry ingredients
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment, so the cookies bake on a nonstick surface.
  2. Dice the apples very finely and blot completely dry with paper towels until no moisture remains.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt until evenly combined with no dry streaks.
Cream butter and combine
  1. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, with a lighter color and smoother texture.
  2. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter looks uniform.
  3. Fold in the flour mixture until no visible dry flour remains.
  4. Fold in the dried apple and chopped caramel bits so the dough is speckled throughout.
Bake and finish
  1. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and space them on the lined baking sheets.
  2. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look slightly set.
  3. Drizzle caramel sauce and sprinkle flaky sea salt over the cookies while warm so it clings.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting the diced apples completely dry prevents soggy cookies and keeps the caramel pockets from leaking. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a plant-based unsalted butter stick and keep the caramel bits labeled dairy-free.