Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
These apple cider cookies are soft, chewy cookies filled with a sweet and tangy apple cider caramel center made from reduced apple cider. Coated generously in apple pie spice and sugar, these delicious fall cookies taste just like a caramel apple in cookie form! They're soft, and chewy, and the caramel has just the right amount of pull.
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 186kcal
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- 1" cookie scoop
- ½ teaspoon and 1 teaspoon measure
- Candy thermometer or digital thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoon pieces
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
Instructions
Apple Cider Caramel
- In a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat, bring the apple cider to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Stir it occasionally. You want to reduce the apple cider until it gets dark amber in color and has a syrup-like consistency. When you drag a spatula through the middle, you will see the bottom of the pot and the liquid will slowly gather back together. You’ll need roughly ¼ cup. If it smells burnt in any way, it's been reduced too far. Trash it and start over.2 cups apple cider
- Once the apple cider is reduced, add the butter, sugars, and heavy cream and stir until it comes together. Return to medium high heat, stirring, until the mixture reaches 230℉ on a candy thermometer. Turn off the heat, stir in the cinnamon and salt, and pour into a heat-proof bowl or jar to cool.¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Cookies
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), cream together the butter and sugar over medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides.¾ cup unsalted butter , ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Add in the salt, egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add in the flour and mix until combined.½ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the sugar and apple pie spice in a bowl.¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, drop balls on one of the cookie sheets until the dough is used up. Roll all of them between your hands to make them into smooth balls.
- Roll the balls through the spiced sugar until they're completely coated. Place them back onto the cookie sheets (12 balls per sheet) and repeat with all dough balls.
- Using a ½ teaspoon measure, carefully push the rounded part down into the middle of each cookie to create an indent. Take care not to push down so far that the bottom of the indent breaks through the bottom, but you want it to be relatively deep. Push together any cracks that form on the edges.
- Bake at 350℉ for 9-11 minutes, switching racks at the halfway mark if baking both sheets at the same time. Scoot the cookies at the halfway mark to patch cracks again.
- Press the dough down again, this time with a 1 teaspoon measure, to make the well slightly bigger. Use a spoon to drizzle caramel into the center of each cookie. Let the caramel set before enjoying.
Video
Notes
Work in batches of 4-5 dough balls, rolling them through the sugar before moving to the next batch. This ensures the spiced sugar will stick to the dough.
The caramel should be slightly warmer than room temperature so you can easily drizzle it into the cookie.
Top the caramel centers with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Store the cookies covered at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
