Any cookie that has a caramel center is my jam, so when we made this apple cider caramel cookies recipe, I was in heaven! I love all the tasty fall flavors and pretty much anything caramel (our Rolo Cookies Recipe is also stuffed with delicious caramel too!).
Even though the flavors of this caramel-stuffed cookies recipe might sound complicated, don’t worry! The ingredients are straightforward and a lot easier than you might think!
The ingredients for this recipe can all be found at your local grocery store, so make sure you take a look at the ingredients to be able to make these alpine apple cider recipe cookies soon! I think they might even be the best apple dessert.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make Apple Cider Caramel Cookies, you will need the following ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Alpine spiced apple cider instant original drink mix
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- All-purpose flour
- Kraft Caramels
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How To Make Apple Cider Caramel Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉ (190 ℃). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (trust me – this will keep your caramel from sticking to your pan!).
- In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- With a standard (size 50) cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel, making sure that it seals well and the caramel is completely covered. Place the cookies 2-3 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges, but making sure to not overcook them. After baking, carefully remove the parchment paper with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Lift gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooling rack.
- These are delicious if you warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds after the cookies have cooled down (I usually do it for less than 10 seconds and it seems to be perfect!).
Storage and Other Tips
If you manage to not eat the whole tray of cookies immediately, these (cookie name) store well. Once cookies have completely cooled, here is how you can store them:
- Counter: Store in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 4 days at room temperature. If you want to try and get the cookies to last even longer without becoming crumbly cookies, add a slice of bread into the container of cookies. The bread will give the cookies something to draw moisture from.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 7 days in a refrigerator.
- Freezer: You can freeze precooked cookie dough for cookies later. Just roll out and freeze for 30 minutes, and then transfer to an airtight, freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. To store cooked cookies, let them cool completely before you put them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Do You Really Use the Whole Box of Apple Cider Packets in this Recipe?
Yes! This is the exact box we used of Alpine spiced apple cider. You will want to use all 10 packets that come in the box. We have not made this with the sugar-free kind and aren’t sure if it will taste the same/bake the same. We recommend just using the original variety.
Homemade Caramels – Yum!
For simplicity, we love to use the Kraft caramel candies in this recipe, but you can always make your own caramels! The process to make caramels actually isn’t as hard as you might think!
Enjoy More Delicious Cookie Recipes
There’s nothing like homemade cookies that the whole family will love. Check out our comprehensive collection of cookie recipes here.
Apple Cider Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 7.4 ounces Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix* , 1 box – you will use all 10 packets
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 14 ounces Kraft Caramels, 1 bag, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉ (190 ℃). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (trust me – this will keep your caramel from sticking to your pan!).
- In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- With a standard (size 50) cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel, making sure that it seals well and the caramel is completely covered. Place the cookies 2-3 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges, but making sure to not overcook them. After baking, carefully remove the parchment paper with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Lift gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooling rack.
- These are delicious if you warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds after the cookies have cooled down (I usually do it for less than 10 seconds and it seems to be perfect!).
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Sisters rock!
i was a little worried initially because the cookie flattened out but the caramel didn't melt, but it eventually did. on my second batch i flattened the caramels first and it spread the caramel a little more evenly throughout the cookie.
yum! thanks! =)
http://25daysofyum.blogspot.com/
This recipe makes about 50 cookies!
I think these would keep just fine. After they are completely cool, I would store them in an air tight container and freeze them. Just be sure to get them out a day before or so, so the caramel inside has time to thaw.
Thanks so much for the recipe! I found y'all through Pinterest and I'll DEFINITELY be back!
I did make a couple modifications to my second batch because I didn't like the way the caramel was all in the center and bubbling through the top and squeezing out the bottom. To overcome that problem, I cut the caramels into four smaller pieces which really turned out well. Just for kicks, I also did a little extra apple cider powder (I bought the big container instead of the packets) and did 2.5 cups of flour so they'd be just a teensy bit gooier and a little more tart. Finally, I liked putting a little granulated sugar on top just to give them a little more pop!
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!! They will definitely be a keeper!
They also taste much better the next couple of days, if you reheat them for about 4 minutes at 200 degrees. Just enough to melt the caramel without drying the cookie or turning the caramel into molten lava.
I am not sure! I have never tried it. You'll have to let us know how it goes!
Con: These take a little extra time than an average cookie.
I did not have the runny dough issue, nor did I find them to be all that time intensive. The dough itself is super fast to make and it really doesn't take that long to unwrap the caramels then wrap them in dough. No cookie scoop here so I just grabbed about a walnut size of dough and smushed it around the caramel.
NOTE: I did flatten the caramel on about half and not on the other half. The flattened caramel cookies were definitely preferred. It was easy, I just flattened between my palms before grabbing dough.
This made 32 large cookies for me.
I also made the cookies, and they burned on the bottom. I think it was just that they did not need to be in my oven as long as its recommended in the recipe here.
Good luck with your baking :)
Cathy Kennedy's Blog
They are so good! I am sure anyone overseas would just love them. :)
Bonne journée
Valérie
I found the apple cider mix next to the hot chocolate! I haven't tried substituting it with anything. Sorry I'm not more help!
I usually just put my butter in a bowl and microwave for about 30-40 seconds, or until the butter is almost all melted but has a little bit in the middle that isn't completely melted. I hope that makes sense!
ps Thank you for giving the original poster credit!