Caramel Apple Cookies

I seem to spend a good portion of my day blog and Facebook surfing looking for that one great recipe.  Do you do this too?  Come on, nod your head yes so I don't feel so alone.  hehe
I think I really found a good one this time.  I came across a new blog a few weeks ago and found this recipe over at Dreaming All Day.  If you haven't yet been over to see Jill, please stop by and tell her "Hi" from me, but make sure you stay awhile because she has an amazing blog.

I adapted this recipe a little because of my love for Caramel Apples and I'm sure you'll love these too :)

Here's what you need:

1 cup butter, unsalted, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs. Instant Hot Apple Cider Mix (I used Alpine brand)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1 cup Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw or Raw Sugar)

20 caramels
2 Tbs. half and half

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.  Add the powdered sugar, apple cider mix, vanilla, and salt and mix until incorporated.

 

Add the flour and mix until combined.

 

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the raw sugar to coat.  Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Using the bottom of a glass flatten each ball into a disc about 1/2 inch thick.

 

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.  Move cookies to a wire rack to cool.  Or cool on baking sheet if you have enough for all the cookies.  (I used two sheet pans to make these)

While the cookies are cooling make the caramel sauce.  Unwrap and place all caramels in a 1 Qt. pan with 2 Tbs. 1/2 and 1/2 and heat over low-med until melted and combined.  It will be clumpy and separated until it's just the right temperature and then all of a sudden it's caramel sauce :)

 

If the cookies were cooling on a wire rack, place them back on the parchment lined baking sheets and using a spoon drizzle the warm caramel sauce back and forth across the cookies.

 

These are the most delicious cookies with or without the caramel sauce.  

Serves approximately - 3-1/2 - 4 doz

Enjoy!

Here's the handy printable - Caramel Apple Cookies

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