Easy caramel apple cookies - crisp edges, soft centers, and sweet apple-caramel flavor in every bite. A cozy twist on classic fall cookies!
These are a Crumbl copycat recipe using real apples (freeze-dried) to get a consistently great cookie every time! No soggy cookies here.
I use a secret ingredient in these - apple cider mix. You can always put more freeze dried apples in if you wish instead of the cider mix, but I really love it in the cookie dough. It's amazing!
Caramel and apple were MADE for each other, and I use them in recipes like caramel apple pie and now a cookie with delicious caramel frosting.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Buttery apple cookie with a caramel cream cheese frosting on top and of COURSE caramel drizzle.
- Ease: Making cookie dough with a couple extra ingredients + frosting them. Intermediate level with the frosting.
- Time: 10 minutes to make the dough, 12 minutes to bake, and 20-30 to cool and frost. Less than an hour total!
🛒 Ingredient Notes
- Freeze Dried Apples - (NOT normal dried apples) available in many dried fruit sections in the grocery store. These were the most consistent way to get the apple flavor I wanted! Fresh made the cookies soggy, even cooked down.
- Apple Cider Mix - This makes the cookie dough and crumbly topping so delicious! You can do it without but it's a very nice addition.
- Caramel Sauce - you can use store bought or use easy homemade dulce de leche.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- You can use caramel bits to sprinkle on top of or put into the cookies too! YUM.
- Dried apples will work for this recipe but will be slightly chewier in the cookies than freeze dried. Just make sure they're fresh and on the soft side if possible.
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Mix on high speed for at least 3 minutes with an electric mixer to "cream" them together and begin dissolving the sugar.
- Step 2. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute, until the egg is fully mixed in and the mixture is fluffy.
- Step 3. Add salt, baking soda and 2 packets apple cider mix. Mix dough until just combined. Add flour one cup at a time and mix on low speed about 1 minute until flour is completely mixed in.
- Step 4. Last add some of the chopped freeze dried apples. Make sure to save about a ½ cup for streusel topping!
- Step 5. Using ¼ cup scoop, measure out 12 -13 balls of dough and space evenly on cookie sheets, 6 to a pan.
- Step 6. Press the tops of each cookie dough ball flat until they are about 2.5 inches across (6-7cm).
- Step 7. Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter in a bowl on medium/high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Step 8. Add in caramel and powdered sugar and mix on low speed until smooth and mixed well into a pipeable frosting texture.
- Step 9. After cookies have cooled, transfer frosting into a piping bag and using a large round tip, frost each cookie in a spiral pattern.
- Step 10. In a bowl or plastic resealable bag combine crushed graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, 1 packet apple cider mix, and ½ cup chopped freeze dried apples. Mix well.
- Step 11. Sprinkle the crumble mix over frosted cookies.
- Step 12. Optional but delicious! Drizzle caramel over the cookies!
TIP: Sprinkle the graham cracker apple crumble over the cookies before the frosting dries out so it will stick to the tops of the cookies better.
📌 Troubleshooting
- Cookies spread too thin: dough too warm / not chilled → chill 30-60 min, increase flour by 2 Tbsp.
- Cookies were too thick: too much flour was added to dough, try thinning it out with a few teaspoons of water or milk until it's the consistency of play dough. It should not be crumbly dough!
❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
Room Temp: in a single layer for 2-3 days loosely covered. The caramel can make the cookies go soggy if in an airtight container.
Refrigerate: up to 5 days.
Freezing: dough balls flash-freeze and bake from frozen (add 2-3 min on regular bake time), baked unfrosted cookies freeze well wrapped.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Flash-freeze scooped dough on sheet for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then bag them up. Bake from frozen and add 2+ minutes to the bake time. You can also thaw refrigerated overnight and bake for the normal baking time.
Use caramel chips instead of drizzling caramel on top!
This recipe doesn't use fresh apples because the results were difficult to get consistent when tested. You could always chop some up to put on top though!
More Delicious Apple Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Caramel Apple Cookie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter salted
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 0.74 oz packets Apple Cider Drink Mix
- 2½-3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup freeze dried apple, chopped 1 oz package makes 1.5 cups chopped
For the Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup salted butter 4 Tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons caramel sauce
- 3 cups powdered sugar
For the streusel
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- ½ cup freeze dried apple, chopped
- 1 packet Apple Cider Drink Mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 cookie or baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup butter, ¾ cup granulated white sugar and ¾ cup light brown sugar and beat on high speed using an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.Add in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until fluffy and mixed well.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 0.74 oz packets Apple Cider Drink Mix . Mix dough until just combined.
- Add flour one cup at a time and mix on low speed about 1 minute until flour is completely mixed in. Last add 1 cup freeze dried apple, chopped Reserve ½ cup apples for streusel topping.
- Using ¼ cup scoop, measure out 12 -13 balls of dough and space evenly on cookie sheets, 6 to a pan.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, until cookies begin to crack. Prepare frosting and streusel while baking.Cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- Use an electric mixer to beat together 4 oz cream cheese and ¼ cup salted butter on medium/high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 Tablespoons caramel sauce and mix well. Add 3 cups powdered sugar mixing on low speed until powdered sugar is completely mixed in between additions.
- After cookies have cooled, transfer frosting into a piping bag and using a large round tip, frost each cookie in a spiral pattern.
For the streusel:
- In a bowl or plastic resealable bag combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tablespoons melted butter,½ cup freeze dried apple, chopped , and 1 packet Apple Cider Drink Mix -. Mix well. Sprinkle over frosted cookies and drizzle caramel over cookies, optional.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Amber Harper says
Have you tried making this ahead and freezing it?
Sara says
I’ve frozen the baked cookies and then frosted them later when they were thawed and ready to serve. I haven’t frozen the entire cookie, I’m not sure how it would affect the frosting to freeze and thaw.
Laura says
These cookies are so delicious! Thank you for an amazing recipe! I followed it exactly. (Also, I never, ever leave comments, but these were just so good!)
Sara says
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them, and thank you for coming back to tell me, it always makes my day.