Salted Caramel Apple Cookies
Who doesn't love a new fall dessert? These salted caramel apple cookies are delicious and refrigerated cookie dough makes them a lot easier to make!
Apple desserts are the dessert of fall, and you will love these. I suggest using honeycrisp apples, but you can go with what your heart desires.
Serving these cookies on a fall charcuterie board is a great option. I served mine on this Elihome pastry board, that allowed me to do all prep in one place, plus its dishwasher safe.
Make these cookies for fall parties, Thanksgiving, or just a sweet afternoon treat.
Salted Caramel Apple Cookies
These salted caramel apple cookies are a delightful fall treat!
Ingredients
- 1 package (16.5 oz) Pillsbury Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus a little more for the work surface
- 2 medium apple, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- caramel sauce for topping
- flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Place the cold cookie dough in a bowl.
- Add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
- Knead gently until the flour is completely incorporated and the dough feels firm enough to roll.
- Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, prepare the apple fillling.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the diced apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender but still has a little texture.
- Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
- Add the slurry to the apples and cook for about 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the juices become thick and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Cool completely. (The filling should be thick and spoonable, not runny.)
- Important note: let filling cool and don't put warm filling onto the cookie dough or it will become soft and spread.
- Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough to approximately ⅜ inch thick. (Don't roll it as a tradiational cutout cookie.)
- Cut rounds approximately 2 ½"-3" in diameter with a cookie cutter or jar lid.
- Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- Using your thumb or the rounded back of a measuring spoon, press a wide, deep well into the center of each cookie. If the dough cracks around the edges, gently smooth it back together with your fingers.
- Spoon approximately 1 - 2 teaspoon of completely cooled apple filling into each well on the cookies.
- Bake at 350° for 10-14 minutes OR until the cookie edges are turning golden, the centers look set, and the apple filling is bubbling slightly.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a rack.
- Once cooled completely, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with salt flakes.
Notes
Thick dough + deep wells + completely cooled, thick apple filling is the key to these cookies.
If the sides spread more than you'd like, chill the shaped cookies for an additional 15 minutes before baking,
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