Description
These Best Caramel Apple Cookies are a delightful Crumbl copycat recipe featuring soft, spiced cookie dough loaded with fresh green apple chunks and topped with a luscious cream cheese caramel frosting. With warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, these cookies capture the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and warmly spiced flavors, making them the ideal fall treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Imperial Sugar dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 2 tbsp concentrated apple juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 green apple (sliced into cubes)
Cream Cheese Caramel Frosting
- 5 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 4 tbsp butter (softened)
- 3 tbsp caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Imperial Sugar powdered sugar
Topping Crumble
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Imperial Sugar granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter (cold, cubed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. This ensures even sweetness and a tender crumb.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, concentrated apple juice, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, creating a flavorful base for the dough.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in apples: Gently fold in the diced green apple chunks to distribute them evenly without breaking them down too much.
- Shape and bake: Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown, indicating they are perfectly baked but still soft inside.
- Prepare frosting: While the cookies cool, beat together softened cream cheese, softened butter, caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy, creating a rich caramel cream cheese frosting.
- Cool and frost: Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before spreading or piping the cream cheese caramel frosting on top.
Notes
- Ensure the butter and egg are at room temperature for smoother mixing.
- Use fresh green apples for the best texture and tartness in the cookies.
- Chill dough briefly if it becomes too soft before baking.
- You can make the caramel sauce at home using brown sugar and cream or buy a quality store-bought version.
- Store cookies in an airtight container and refrigerate if frosting is applied, consuming within 3-4 days.
