Caramel Apple Cookies
Today’s Caramel Apple Cookies are slated to be your new favorite fall dessert! Tender, rich apple spice cookies are topped with a tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting and finished off with juicy-tart bites of real apple and caramel sauce. It’s a decadent cookie with all of your favorite fall flavors.
Crumbl Caramel Apple Cookies Recipe
Today’s fall cookie recipe is a Copycat version of Crumbl’s Caramel Apple Cookie.
It has all of the flavor of caramel apples, without the mess or worrying about scrubbing burnt sugar out of pots.
These caramel apple cookies feature a buttery, rich and chewy apple spice cookie is topped with a swirl of luscious, silky sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting and chunks of tart Granny Smith apples and salty-sweet caramel drizzle.
There are many ways to customize these decadent fall cookies and make them your own – I’ve included a few ideas below but let me know if you come up with another fun twist!
Caramel Apple Cookie Variations:
- instead of using fresh apples for topping, sprinkle the frosted apple spice cookies with dehydrated or freeze-dried apples
- add white chocolate chips or caramel chips to the cookie batter
- top with a sprinkle of granola or homemade streusel – I highly recommend my apple spice granola recipe
- customize the frosting by either including or omitting the caramel sauce in the cream cheese frosting; personally, I prefer it left out and just drizzled on top as some of my family members don’t like caramel
- apple cider or apple flavoring in the cookie base – if I have apple cider already on hand, I’ll add a couple tablespoons to the cookie dough, but I personally wouldn’t purchase it just for this recipe as it isn’t noticeable enough to make the expense worth it
- apple cider drink mix can also be added to the cookie dough base – either add it dry or add a couple tablespoons of hot water (do not add the full amount of water called for on the packet)
To prevent the Granny Smith apples from browning after chopping, soak them in lemonade, pineapple juice, 7UP or a mixture of 1 Tablespoon lemon juice in 1 cup water for about 5 minutes. The citric acid in these drinks prohibits the enzyme in the apple that is responsible for browning from reacting with oxygen. Apples soaked in these liquids for a few minutes will stay crisp and not browned for several hours.
How to store caramel apple cookies: These Crumbl copycat cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or stored in the fridge for up to a week.
For best results, leave off the apple topping until within a couple hours of when you plan to enjoy or serve these cookies.
How to freeze caramel apple cookies: These cookies can be frozen after baking, or you can freeze the dough before baking. Frozen, unfrosted cookies should be stored in an airtight ziptop freezer bag or freezer containers and enjoyed within 1 month of freezing.
Cookie dough wrapped and stored in an airtight ziptop freezer bag or freezer container can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before baking as directed below. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)
Be sure to check out our step-by-step video to see how to make these Copycat Crumbl Caramel Apple Cookies at home – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:
Caramel Apple Cookie Ingredients
Spice Cookie Ingredients:
- Butter, unsalted
- White Granulated Sugar
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Apple Pie Spice <– grab our homemade apple pie spice recipe here
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Apple Cider, optional <– can alternative use apple flavoring or leave out entirely
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Confectioner’s Sugar
- Caramel Sauce, optional
Caramel Apple Topping Ingredients:
- Caramel Sauce
- Granny Smith Apple, diced small
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: don’t forget to soak the Granny Smith apple for garnish in a citric drink to prevent the apple from browning as it sits on top of the cookie.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Cookie Sheets
- Silicone Baking Mats
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Cookie Scoop
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Piping Bag
- Round Metal Piping Tip
How to Make Caramel Apple Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium sized mixing bowl cream together the butter,, brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
Add the egg and vanilla and blend until smooth.
Mix in the flour, cinnamon and other spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend with a mixer until a cookie dough is formed.
Use a spoon or 2 inch scooper to create large balls of dough and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Flatten slightly with your hands before putting in the oven to bake for 13 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
In a separate bowl make the cream cheese frosting by add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla at once. Blend together until combined.
Add the powdered sugar and mix once again until a smooth creamy frosting has formed.
Place this frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large circular tip.
Let the cookie cool for 15 minutes once out of the oven.
Pipe a circular swirl from the center of the cookie outwards until you reach the edge.
Top with the small cubed green apples. Drizzle with the caramel sauce.
Serve and enjoy!
Pin this Easy Copycat Crumbl Caramel Apple Cookie recipe to your fall baking inspiration pinboard:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our caramel apple cookies recipe:
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Caramel Apple Cookies
Ingredients
Spice Cookie Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter, unsalted
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 5 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons caramel sauce, optional
Caramel Apple Toppings:
- Caramel sauce
- 1 Granny Smith apple, diced small
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl cream together the butter,, brown sugar and white granulated sugar.
- Add the egg and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add apple cider at this time, if using.
- Mix in the flour, cinnamon and other spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend with a mixer until a cookie dough is formed.
- Use a spoon or 2 inch scooper to create large balls of dough and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Flatten slightly with your hands before putting in the oven to bake for 13 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.
- In a separate bowl make the cream cheese frosting by add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla at once. Blend together until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix once again until a smooth creamy frosting has formed.
- Taste to determine if you'd like to add the optional caramel sauce. If so, just drizzle it in and beat until combined.
- Place this frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large circular tip.
- Let the cookie cool for 15 minutes once out of the oven.
- Pipe a circular swirl from the center of the cookie outwards until you reach the edge.
- Top with the small cubed green apples.
- Drizzle with the caramel sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 329Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 4g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy caramel apple spice cookie recipe as much as mine does!
For more scrumptious cookies, check out our full cookie recipe collection here:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
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