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Soft and Chewy Caramel Apple Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Close-up of caramel apple cookies cut in half showing a creamy white filling and caramel drizzle.
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Make these soft and chewy caramel apple cookies, loaded with real apple pieces and gooey caramel, topped with a simple cream cheese frosting. This recipe captures the essence of fall in a homemade bakery-style cookie.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely diced apple (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
  • 1/2 cup soft caramel candies, unwrapped and halved
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for frosting)
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream (for frosting)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • Pinch of salt (for frosting)
  • Optional: Caramel drizzle for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Gently fold in the diced apple and halved caramel candies using a spatula.
  6. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set. The cookies will be soft.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. While cookies cool, prepare the frosting: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, if the frosting is too thick.
  10. Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or drizzle the cream cheese frosting over the top of each cookie. Add an optional caramel drizzle if desired.

Notes

  • Use firm apples that hold their shape well during baking, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
  • For a Crumbl copycat texture, slightly underbake the cookies; they firm up as they cool.
  • You can use store-bought soft caramels or make your own caramel sauce to drizzle.
  • This recipe works well for family friendly baking projects; kids can help mix the dough and frost the cooled cookies.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mdlatdmm.com/caramel-apple-cookies-recipe/