Caramel Apple Thumbprint Cookies

Is there anything better than the start of fall baking?! Give me all the cookies, cakes, and breads. ESPECIALLY if they're of the apple or pumpkin variety. I love these Caramel Apple Thumbprint Cookies. They're like the perfect combination of snickerdoodles and caramel apples. Scroll on for how to make this easy caramel cookie recipe.

Steps to make these Caramel Cookies:

1. Mix up the cookie dough. It's very similar to a sugar cookie or snickerdoodle dough. Your mixer does most of the work 🙂
2. Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and roll in a apple pie spice/sugar mixture. Just like you do with snickerdoodle cookies.
3. Use the end of a spatula or your finger to press indents in each dough ball (see picture below).
4. Chill the shaped cookies for at least 2 hours.
5. Bake the cookies then remove from oven and spoon caramel into the indents. Return to the oven for another minute or two.
6. Allow to cool and enjoy!

What is Apple Pie Spice:

• Apple Pie Spice is a sweet blend of spices that will remind you of a slice of apple pie
• Many grocery stores carry it, this is the blend I have
• If you can't find it in your store, you can make it yourself! Blend ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. See the recipe note for the ratio.

These Caramel Apple Thumbprint Cookies are PERFECT for the transition into fall. Spiced with the flavors of apple pie - cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom. Rolled in a spiced sugar mixture just like your favorite snickerdoodle cookies. Filled with a caramel sauce.
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Caramel Apple Thumbprint Cookies

Print Recipe

These Caramel Apple Thumbprint Cookies are perfect for fall baking. They're like the perfect combination of snickerdoodles and caramel apples. A soft dough, rolled in spiced sugar, and filled with caramel. Recipe at KathleensCravings.com

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 170 minutes
• Yield: 36 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Cookies

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice (*)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• ¾ cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg (room temperature )
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel and Sugar Topping

• ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
• caramel topping in a jar (*)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, make the cinnamon sugar topping. Mix the ⅓ cup of sugar and the ½ teaspoon of apple pie spice. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, apple pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Set Aside.
3. In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or large bowl with a hand mixer. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
4. Add the flour to the dough and mix slowly until combined.
5. Roll dough into balls - about 1 tablespoon of dough each. Roll the dough balls in the sugar apple pie spice mixture.
6. Place dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use the end of a spatula to make an indent into each cookie. Chill the cookie balls for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place chilled cookies on a parchment paper lined or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Place cookies about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes. The cookies will be just set if you gently poke one. Remove from oven and spoon about ½ teaspoon of caramel into each indentation. If while baking, the indentations have puffed up you can use the end of the spatula to remake the indent. Place caramel filled cookies back in the oven and bake for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden.
9. Allow cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store cookies in the refrigerator for up to one week. Storing in the fridge helps keep the caramel set. If stacking, stack between layers of wax or parchment paper to avoid the caramel sticking.

Notes

*Apple Pie Spice: Many grocery stores sell an Apple Pie Spice blend, but if yours doesn't, you can easily make it yourself!

Mix together:

• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

 

**Caramel Topping: You can make your own if you'd like, I used store-bought in a jar. You'll need about ½ cup to fill all the cookies. I used this Hershey's Caramel Topping