A touch of salt and caramel go so well together and bring out the sweetness. If you’re a fan of the salted caramel combination, you’re going to love these Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies. Take the pie you love and put into a cookie form!
They’re made with fresh apple that makes the most scrumptious homemade apple pie filling and then they’re baked until golden brown for the ultimate fall cookie. They stay moist, thanks to the apple and my whole family loves this cookie. I hope you do too!
Homemade apple pie filling doesn’t take much effort to make, but it makes a big difference in the flavor of these cookies. I make these cookies when apples are in season, in the fall months, and the fresh apple adds a touch of natural sweetness. Then the salted caramel just brings out that sweetness even more.
Your kitchen will smell amazing, these cookies will stay moist and they’ll probably disappear faster than you think. I make this cookie recipe yearly and it never gets old!
Looking for even more great apple cookie recipes? All of these apple cookies are baked with fresh apples, but have a slightly different flavor than this one:
If you love salted caramel, try my Salted Caramel Pound Cake and these Salted Caramel Brownies!
How To Make Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
The tools I use to make these cookies are important for the texture of the cookie. I use silicone baking mats, which help to promote even baking and prevent the bottoms from burning. Parchment paper is a great substitute for the mats if you don’t own them. The apple pie filling is made over the stovetop with a medium saucepan and the cookie batter is used with a stand mixer.
If you don’t own a stand mixer, use an electric hand mixer. It’ll be a bit more difficult to make since the batter is thick, but the cookies will still turn out great!
When To Make These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
Apples are most fresh in the fall season and that’s the perfect time to make these cookies. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing and be full of apple scent. Even if you don’t make them in the fall, it’s easy to find fresh apples all year round in the grocery store.
I make these cookies for fall bake sales, as gifts for neighbors and pot lucks. The recipe easily doubles and the cookies are simple to transport. Add the caramel drizzle after transporting the cookies, if desired.
What Type Of Fresh Apple To Use
I recommend using a sweet apple variety for this cookie. Jazz, Gala or Honeycrisp work great. You don’t want the apple to have a thick mealy texture. Green apple varieties are going to be too tart this recipe, which is unusual for baking. I’ve made these cookies with Gala and Honeycrisp – it’s delicious.
How To Keep Your Cookies Fresh After Baking
After your cookies have baked, store them in an airtight food storage container. If you have to stack the cookies, add a layer of wax paper in-between. These cookies stick together easily because of the the caramel drizzle. The wax paper prevents that from happening.
For best freshness, enjoy the cookies within 3-4 days of baking. The apples will keep the cookies moist and they won’t harden.
How To Freeze These Cookies
These cookies are best frozen after baking. I do not recommend freezing the cookie dough. Store the cookies in a freezer bag and keep them in the back of the freezer, where the temperature doesn’t vary as much. The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the countertop, until room temperature, before enjoying again.
What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:
- Unsalted Butter
- Light Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cake Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Apple Pie Spice
- Caramel Bits
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Apples (Gala, Jazz or Honeycrisp)
- Optional Garnish: Caramel, Sea Salt
Directions To Make Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
Start With The Filling
To make the apple pie filling: Peel core and chop the apples. Pat the apples dry. In a small saucepan add your butter and sugar, cook for 2-3 minutes until the butter is melted. Whisk the butter and sugar to combine.
Add the apples, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook. Stir the apple mixture often.
In a small bowl add your cornstarch and water. Whisk to combine. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples and stir to combine. Continue to heat on low for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temp.
Assemble The Cookies
To make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 410°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a large bowl add flour, cake flour , apple pie spice, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix to combine.
Use a large cookie scoop and scoop 3.5oz dough balls. Place the balls on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Use the palm of your hand to press down on the cookie slightly, so that the cookie dough ball creates a thin disk.
Using a small cookie scoop, scoop apple pie filling and place it on half of the cookies in the center. take the dough ball with the apple pie filling and add a second flattened dough ball on top.
Roll the dough together to form a ball. Place the dough ball on the baking sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the dough ball is just barely set and no longer shiny. Remove from the oven and set to the side to let cookies cool. Drizzle the caramel on top and sprinkle sea salt on top.
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
Made with fresh apple, these Salted Caramel Apple Cookies are perfect for fall with a soft texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and sliced
- 3⁄4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 1⁄2 tsp cornstarch
- 1⁄2 tsp apple pie spice
- 1⁄4 cup caramel bits
- Optional garnish: Sea Salt, Caramel Sauce
For The Pie Filling:
- 4 medium apples, gala or red or jazz, core removed and diced
- 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
1. To make the apple pie filling: Peel core and chop the apples. Pat the apples dry. In a small saucepan add your butter and sugar, cook for 2-3 minutes until the butter is melted. Whisk the butter and sugar to combine.
2. Add the apples, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook. Stir the apple mixture often.
3. In a small bowl add your cornstarch and water. Whisk to combine. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples and stir to combine. Continue to heat on low for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temp.
4. To make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 410°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. In a large bowl add flour, cake flour, apple pie spice, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix to combine.
7. Use a large cookie scoop and scoop 3.5oz dough balls. Place the balls on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Use the palm of your hand to press down on the cookie slightly, so that the cookie dough ball creates a thin disk.
8. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop apple pie filling and place it on half of the cookies in the center. take the dough ball with the apple pie filling and add a second flattened dough ball on top.
9. Roll the dough together to form a ball. Place the dough ball on the baking sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the dough ball is just barely set and no longer shiny. Remove from the oven and set to the side to let cookies cool. Drizzle the caramel on top and sprinkle sea salt on top.
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