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Caramel Apple Cookies

Caramel apple cookies with tender, buttery dough studded with finely diced apple and caramel bits. Baked until the edges turn golden, then finished with a caramel drizzle and flaky sea salt for big bakery-style flavor.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 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
Wet ingredients
  • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Mix-ins and finishing
  • 1 cup apples, peeled and very finely diced (patted completely dry) Finely diced and blotted dry to prevent soggy cookies.
  • 1 cup caramel bits or soft caramels, chopped
  • 1 caramel sauce and flaky sea salt for finishing Use for drizzle and topping while cookies are warm.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and trays
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment.
  2. Dice the apple very finely and blot completely dry with paper towels to prevent soggy cookies.
Mix the dry and wet ingredients
  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt together until evenly combined.
  2. Beat the butter and both sugars until fluffy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine and bake
  1. Fold in the flour mixture until no dry streaks remain.
  2. Fold in the dried apple and caramel bits until the dough is evenly speckled.
  3. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon rounds, spacing them on the lined baking sheets.
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375F, until edges are golden and centers look slightly set.
Finish
  1. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle flaky sea salt while the cookies are warm so the topping clings.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting the diced apples very dry helps keep the cookie centers from turning wet. Store baked cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. For a straightforward swap, use a plant-based butter stick in the same quantity for a dairy-reduced version (texture will be slightly softer).