Discover the autumn delight you never knew you needed with these Caramel Apple Cookies. Infused with the richness of brown butter and generously studded with apple chunks, each cookie surprises with a soft, gooey caramel center, bringing the perfect blend of flavors for the fall season.
Caramel Apple Snickerdoodle Cookies are the perfect fall treat, but you know we love them any time of year!
They're as easy to make as they are delicious, blending the classic autumnal taste of caramel apples with the comforting form of a soft, chewy cookie.
Whether you're craving a sweet snack on a cool autumn day or looking for the perfect treat to share during the holiday season, this caramel apple cookie recipe is sure to impress.
They're perfect for a fall festival, a Halloween party, or something a bit different on your holiday cookie trays!
With a crisp cinnamon sugar coating, each chewy cookie is packed with fresh apple chunks with a chewy caramel too.
These cookies are made with real Granny Smith apples, which means you're getting genuine apple flavor in every bite, not just the artificial taste that often comes from store-bought cookies.
It's like taking a stroll through an apple orchard without ever leaving your kitchen!
For more delicious Snickerdoodle cookies, check out my Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies, Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies, Caramel Snickerdoodles, Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies, Chocolate Snickerdoodles, or my Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodles!
Ingredients for Chewy Caramel Apple Snickerdoodle Cookies
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Vanilla Extract, Egg, Egg Yolk
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar, Ground Cinnamon, Salt
Extras. Soft Caramels, Granny Smith Apple
How to Make Caramel Apples Snickerdoodle Cookies
Brown the Butter
- Melt Butter in a large saucepan over medium or high heat.
- Stir the Butter while it is heating up; allow it to come to a boil and foam up. Keep stirring.
- Brown bits will be seen throughout the Butter, and it will turn a rich, dark golden brown color. Be careful not to burn the Butter.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the Browned Butter to cool. It will partially solidify as it cools, but this is fine.
Make Caramel Apple Snickerdoodle Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together cooled browned Butter, White Sugar, and Brown Sugar. Mix until combined. Add Egg and Egg Yolk with Vanilla Extract and mix together. The mixture will become light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients of All Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar, Salt, and Cinnamon. Mix until combined.
- Peel and core the Apple and dice it into small pieces.
- Mix the small apple chunks into the cookie dough on medium or low speed.
- Cut the Caramels in half if using long, skinny, soft caramels. Use a size #24 cookie scoop, about 3 tablespoons in size, to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Place the cut caramel inside the cookie dough and seal it closed.
- Roll the stuffed cookie dough balls in a cinnamon sugar mixture of ⅓ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- Coat the cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar, spooning it over them if needed.
- Place the cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches between each one to allow the cookies to spread while baking but not touch each other. Bake cookies at 375 degrees F in a preheated oven for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are baked and the centers of the cookie are set. Do not overbake.
- Immediately as the cookies are out of the oven, place a large circular cookie cutter over each one, moving it in a circular motion to encourage them into a perfect circle shape.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
FAQs
Yes, you can use other apple varieties, but Granny Smith apples are preferred for their tartness and firmness, which hold up well in baking.
Make sure to seal the caramel inside the dough well and don't overbake the cookies. Keeping the caramel in the center of the dough ball also helps.
Storage & Freezing
Store: Store your Caramel Apple Cookies once they have cooled to room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week on the counter. Cookies are generally best enjoyed within 2–3 days of being freshly baked!
Freeze Cookies: You can also make and freeze these cookies if you're organized enough to prepare for the holidays! Once cooled, store the cookies in a sealed container or Ziploc bag with parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. Keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freeze Cookie Dough Balls: Alternatively, make the cookie dough balls ahead of time and freeze them, then freshly bake them when you want them! Flash-freeze the stuffed and unbaked cookie dough balls on a baking tray, then put them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding on an extra 1-3 minutes of baking time!
Substitutions & Variations
- Add other flavors. Try using Nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie Spice or even Allspice to bring out different fall flavors in these cookies.
- Use other candies. Use other kinds of candy to stuff your cookies for a different flavor. Try halved Hershey's Kisses, halved Peanut Butter Cups, Heath Bar Minis, or butterscotch chips.
- Add a topping. Add flaky sea salt to contrast with the sweet caramel flavors, or top the cookies with a vanill or caramel frosting for even more decadence! A simple drizzle of icing using confectioner's sugar and water would work well too, or some caramel drizzle for extra sweetness.
- Try other cookie forms. Make Caramel Apple Snicherdoodle Bars by following my recipe for Snickerdoodle Bars, or try Caramel Apple Snickerdoodle Cookie Sandwiches using my Snickerdoodle Cookie Sandwich Recipe!
Pro Tips
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great-quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time, here are some pro tips:
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for ensuring even baking. This recipe makes approximately 22 cookies using a size #24 Cookie Scoop. You can make larger cookies by using a larger cookie scoop. Just remember to adjust the baking time as necessary.
Soft Caramels
I have used Werther's Soft Caramels and cut each in half, using both halves inside the cookie dough. Feel free to use your favorite soft caramel candies, though! If the caramel is too sticky to work with, chill it for a bit. This makes it easier to handle when placing it into the cookie dough.
Browning Butter.
Browning the butter is a crucial step to making these cookies utterly irresistible. When Butter is browned, it's like unlocking a hidden flavor; it adds a deep, nutty aroma to your cookies that regular melted butter simply can't provide.
Electric Mixer.
I always use my Bosch Stand Mixer as it has a large bowl and a great mixer for making cookies. If you're using a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment for each of the steps to make these cookies. You can also use a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, for similar results.
Do Not Overmix.
When combining your wet and dry ingredients, mix just until you can't see flour anymore. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
Baking Time.
Every oven heats a little differently. I recommend doing a test batch of 1-3 cookies to test the baking time for a perfectly baked cookie before baking the remaining dough.
Cookies.
Cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are set and the centers are no longer glossy.
Cooling Rack.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring, and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking.
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least two cooling racks.
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients.
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take two batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc Bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula, are all helpful.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Have you tried this Caramel Apple Cookies recipe?
Let me know what you think of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
More Delicious Fall Cookie Recipes
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
- Churro Cookies (Crumbl Cookies Copycat)
- Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookies
- Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Quaker Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
- Muddy Buddy Cookies
Apple Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
Caramel Apple Snickerdoodle Cookies
- 1 cup Butter Browned
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
- 1 cup Brown Sugar 206g
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 Egg Yolk Large
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour 360g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 22 Soft Caramels
- 1 Granny Smith Apple Diced
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar 66g
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
How to Brown Butter
- Melt Butter in a large saucepan over medium or high heat.
- Stir the Butter while it is heating up; allow it to come to a boil and foam up. Keep stirring.
- Brown bits will be seen throughout the Butter, and it will turn a rich, dark golden color. Be careful not to burn the Butter.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the Browned Butter to cool. It will partially solidify as it cools, but this is fine.
How to Make Caramel Apple Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking trays with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together cooled browned Butter, White Sugar, and Brown Sugar. Mix until combined. Add Egg and Egg Yolk with Vanilla Extract and mix together. The mixture will become light and fluffy
- Gradually add the dry ingredients of All Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar, Salt and Cinnamon. Mix until combined.
- Peel and core the Apple and dice it into small pieces. Mix into cookie dough.
- Cut the Caramels in half if using long, skinny, soft caramels.
- Use a size #24 cookie scoop, about 3 tablespoons in size, to scoop the cookie dough into balls.
- Place the cut caramel inside the cookie dough and seal it closed.
- Roll the stuffed cookie dough balls in a cinnamon sugar mixture of ⅓ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- Place the cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches between each one to allow the cookies to spread while baking but not touch each other.
- Bake at 375 degrees F in a preheated oven for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are baked and the centers of the cookie are set. Do not overbake.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- Mix ⅓ cup Sugar with 2 teaspoon Cinnamon in a small bowl.
Notes
Tips
Using Brown Butter that has solidified? Add extra egg white for more moisture. The cookie dough might seem thick when you're initially mixing it, but once you add in the apples, the dough will soften, just trust in the process!Storage
- Store: Store your Caramel Apple Cookies once they have cooled to room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week on the counter. Cookies are generally best enjoyed within 2–3 days of being freshly baked!
- Freeze Cookies: You can also make ahead and freeze these cookies if you're organized enough to prepare for the holidays! Once cooled, store the cookies in a sealed container or ZipLoc bag with parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. Keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Freeze Cookie Dough Balls: Alternatively, make the cookie dough balls ahead of time and freeze them to then freshly bake them when you want them! Flash-freeze the stuffed and unbaked cookie dough balls on a baking tray, then put them in a Ziploc bag, in the freezer, for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding on an extra 1-3 minutes of baking time!
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