Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling are the perfect cookies for enjoying fall and are fun, easy treats to make with the family!
Bask in the comforting smells of fall when you make batch after batch of incredible Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling! Pull out all of your cookie-making ingredients, plus apple cider mix and a bag of caramel candy for an easy treat that’s best served warm.
Fallin’ for Cookies
Every day is an excellent day for making cookies, and when I’m in the mood for everything Fall, Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling is precisely what I need! No one cares what month it is once they smell these fantastic cookies. Their aroma of spiced apples and sweet caramel makes tummies rumble and your house feel warm and welcoming. My kids love to help make these cookies and pressing the caramels into the dough is their favorite, so it’s ok if they sneak a caramel or two because I do too!
Whether you love apple cider at certain times of the year or all year, Homemade Apple Cider and Apple Cider Muffins are next-level craving-pleasers!
Other Recipes to Serve with Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling
- Regarding the perfect fall activities, nothing beats apple picking, so pick plenty to make a couple of rounds of Apple Whiskey Sours!
- If you’ve been searching for a fantastic caramel sauce to top your favorite apple goodies, look no further than Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce!
Ingredients
Pantry Items: Set out your all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and baking powder.
Dairy Items: You will need eggs and softened butter for this recipe.
Spices and Extracts: A little salt, allspice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract will be used to make these cookies.
Apple Cider Mix: You will need a box of Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix for that great apple cider flavor. You will be using all of the packets in the box.
Caramels: Grab a bag of caramel candy, like Kraft Caramels.
How to Make Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling
STEP ONE: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and allspice in a small bowl.
STEP TWO: Using a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, salt, and apple cider packets until fluffy. Beat one egg at a time into the mix, and then add the vanilla extract and mix.
STEP THREE: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
STEP FOUR: After an hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the caramel candies. Scoop about a tablespoon of dough and flatten it slightly in your hand. Press a caramel candy into the center of the dough and then cover and seal the candy with the dough thoroughly. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
STEP FIVE: Bake for 12-14 minutes. Once the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and slide the parchment paper with the cookies still on it off the cookie sheet to cool faster. Let the cookies cool for a little while.
STEP SIX: Twist the cookies off the parchment paper and lip them upside down. Then cool the cookies completely before enjoying them!
Tips for Success
- Check the cookies after baking for 12 minutes to ensure you don’t overbake the cookies. The caramel may burn on the bottom if the cookies are left in the oven too long.
- If you leave the cookies cooling on the parchment paper too long, pop them into the freezer for a few minutes. The cookies should easily twist off the paper after that.
- You will use all of the apple cider mix packets in this cookie recipe. For best results, purchase the regular apple cider instant drink mix, not the sugar-free variety.
Can I freeze apple cider cookies?
Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling are great for freezing so that you can enjoy them later! Once the cookies have cooled, place them on a cookie sheet and set the sheet in the freezer. After an hour, the cookies should be frozen and then you can pack them into freezer bags or other freezer containers. The cookies can be stored in the freezer for three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them thaw on the counter and then for an extra treat, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm up the caramel!
What is an apple cider mix made of?
Apple cider drink mixes are typically made of powdered dehydrated apples, sugar, and spices. The spices usually combine cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and others. Using instant drink packets in this recipe makes creating these cookies a cinch and the amazing fall aroma you’ll get while baking them will surely make you drool!
More Crowd Pleasing Cookie Ideas!
- Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
- Salted Caramel & Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
- Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Butterfinger Pudding Cookies
- Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Cookies
*This post was originally posted on 10/04/2012.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 7.4 ounces Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix (not the sugar-free variety)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 11 ounces Kraft caramels (1 bag)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and allspice. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat together the butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Pour in the vanilla and mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Unwrap the caramels. (There should be 36 in the bag.)
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. Flatten the dough ball slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of the cookie dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely.
- Place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and caramels. Leave 2 inches of space between the cookies on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. (Start checking on the cookies at 12 minutes. You don't want to overbake them!)
- Once the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and carefully pull the parchment to slide the paper and cookies off of the baking sheet right and right onto the counter.
- Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment paper.
- When cookies are firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist them off the parchment and flip them upside down before allowing to cool completely. (If the cookies cool too much and stick to the parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes. They'll pop right off.)
Karen says
Easy to make, just re-read #10-11-12…
10: Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a tablespoon
11: Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand
12: Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely
Sylvia Greer says
I just made these cookies, there ok but probably wont replace chocolate chip cookies at my house. One of the batches of cookies I rolled in granulated sugar. Which was nice on the cookies.
Fallon Brumback says
Yup, they’re amazing. I can’t seem to get the caramel to slurred throughout the cookie, though 🙁
Christine says
I flattened out my caramel into more of a thick disk rather than just the square and got better coverage
Fallon Brumback says
I’m making these right now… I can’t wait to stuff my face#
Karina says
These cookies are delicious! And the recipe was super easy to follow. I especially appreciated the notes for baking times and cooling method. This is the first time I have made a “stuffed” cookie, and this will definitely be a permanent keeper in my recipe box. Overall, I rate this recipe and cookie 5 out of 5 cavities.
Marissa Vilchis says
I just made these and they are awesome! Thanks for the recipe.
Marissa says
I just made these and they are awesome and super easy to make. Thanks for the recipe.
Bill Turbert says
How do wrap the cookie dough around the caramel? Do you cover it completely and make a ball out of it? Pls explain. Thanks
Jean says
You first make a ball in the palm of your hand then smash the ball flat (not too flat) then put the carmel in the middle and wrap the cookie dough around the carmel
Kristy Johnson says
Roll the dough into a ball then flatten it out a little then place the caramel in the center. Bring the dough up around the caramel making a ball again. I hope that helps.
Dress says
You flatten the dough like a pancake, place the caramel in the center then fold the cookie dough around it. Think of it as a won ton.
Bill Turbert says
I am not quite sure what you mean by covering the unwrapped caramel. Do you bring the cookie dough up to cover the caramel making a ball? Pls explain more in detail. Can’t wait to try them.!
Fallon Brumback says
You cover the caramel with the dough, so you have a nice cookie ball filled with the caramel square, then place the ball on the parchment 🙂
Amanda says
You cover the caramel with the cookie dough. 🙂
KattyKit says
Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely” that’s fairly self-explanatory. It’s not my thread, but still, best of luck.
I think I might try it with half a caramel each or less. Not really into the icky-sticky sweets, just the milder versions. They sound delicious though.
Lori says
Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely
Yes it’s a ball of dough with the Carmel in the middle. As it says in the recipe, cover the Caramel completely.
Amanda says
I just made a ball, placed the caramel in the middle and then wrapped the ball around the caramel some more to make a ball with the caramel completely covered. Not sure how your dough will come out from the fridge, but mine was crazy sticky and needed to keep adding flour so that I could work with it. Cookies were delicious though!
Jennifer Pendley says
I just squished the caramel into the middle of a wad of dough and rolled it into a ball around it, pinching off any excess. They are sooo good!
sharon says
Will try.
Randy Gleich says
These look out of the world will try them.
Kathleen A. Resoso says
I can’t find the Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Drink Mix here in the Philippine. Is there an alternative for this recipe. I would really like to try this recipe for my kids. Thank you very much.