Although I love the look and the idea of caramel apples, I’ve never really been a fan.  I’m always disappointed when I bite into one- the hard, tart apple just doesn’t do it for me.  Give me that caramel all on its own.  In my opinion, there is too much apple and too little caramel!  However, I really want to enjoy the seasonal treat. 

Last year, I made caramel apple cupcakes, which I simply adored.  This time, I wanted a cookie.  My mind started racing with ideas… Lots of brown sugar.  Apple chunks.  Caramel.  Cinnamon.  Lots of cinnamon.

Of course, my instinct told me to call and old friend: Google.  He never lets me down.  Just as I suspected, there were like-minded individuals who had already done the work for me.  I printed out a few recipes, but none of them were quite what I wanted, but it was a start.

I got home from the grocery store, ready to use my new apple peeler and corer.  FYI, it works.  It works well.  That thing is sharp.  I have the cuts on my hands to prove it.  Before I set out to use my new gadget, I sat down with a cup of tea and started cruising through my Google Reader.  What do you know?  The Runaway Spoon had posted a recipe for caramel apple cookies mere minutes before!  After scanning the ingredient list and recipe, I knew this was the one I’d been after.  With a few minor adjustments, I was confident my cookie would be perfection.

Caramel Apple Cookies

Yields about 2 dozen cookies

Adapted from The Runaway Spoon

Print this recipe!

Ingredients

• ½ C butter, softened
• 1 ½ C packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 C Granny Smith apples, diced (about 2 mediums)
• 8 oz. caramel squares, cut into fourths
• 1/2 C cinnamon chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Add the egg and beat until smooth.  Slowly add the baking soda, cinnamon and flour.  Beat until smooth.
3. Fold in the apples, caramel, and cinnamon chips.
4. On a prepared baking sheet, drop the dough to form cookies, using about tbsp. for each.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and once cookies are firm enough to move,  place on a cooling rack. 

**Note: Because of the apples, these cookies will stay extremely moist and stick together.  I recommend place wax paper between layers when storing! **

These cookies are the ultimate fall treat, packing seasonal flavors into one bite-sized dessert (or snack!)!  They are loaded with sweet apples, rich caramel bits, and warming cinnamon chips.  The smell as they were baking was incredible, and the results were better than I imagined.  I much prefer the caramel to apple ratio in these cookies to a caramel apple itself.  It’s doesn’t hurt that there’s minimal mess and they’re much easier to eat!  they’re easier to eat and much less messy!  If you can’t find cinnamon chips (sorry, Holly!) just add some cinnamon to the batter.