Favorite Fall Recipes: Caramel Apple Cookies

Caramel, Apples, Cookies – what could be more fall-like?! These cookies are a must have in our home when the air starts to become crisp! They are super soft and fluffy, but don’t let that fool you…they are packed with flavor! 

I love whipping up a batch when I have a couple of apples that are close to going bad. If you give them a try make sure to let me know what you think! 🙂 

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CARAMEL APPLE COOKIES

Yields: 2 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Bake Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

Cookies:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (scant, remove 1 tablespoon) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed but still cold

Frosting:
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup butter
2 ½ tablespoons apple juice concentrate
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon water
½ cup finely chopped pecans

Directions

For Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg for 20 seconds, set aside.

3. Place peeled and chopped apples in food processor. Pulse a few times to chop coarsely – creating very small chunks. In a small bowl, combine finely chopped apple (including juices from the apples) and lemon juice, set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and brown sugar until creamy – scrape down sides of bowl and bottom of bowl, occasionally. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture, and then (with mixer running on low speed), slowly add in apple juice concentrate, and remaining half of flour mixture. Add apple and lemon mixture. Scoop dough with a tablespoon and drop onto parchment paper lined baking sheets – placing cookies 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 11-12 minutes. Cook on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to completely cool.

For Frosting:

1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, apple juice concentrate and salt. Heat mixture over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cookies, and immediately sprinkle with pecans as frosting sets quickly.

Notes: As frosting cools, it will thicken – so add ½ tsp. warm water at a time to thin as needed for a more spreadable consistency. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

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