These caramel apple cider cookies are a wonderful way to ring in Autumn. Packed with apple flavor in the cookies and topped with a sweet caramel buttercream these cookies are sure to hit the spot!
These caramel apple cookies are really easy to make and don't take very long to prepare either. Perfect for last-minute desserts or a simple afternoon in the kitchen when you want to bake something festive because the weather and mood are "just right."
Named "apple cider cookies" these cookies don't actually have apple cider in them. Instead, we're using powdered Apple cider drink mix that you can buy in packet form. I got mine from Dollar Tree but you can find them in the hot chocolate section of your local grocery store.
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🥘 Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Apple Cider Drink Mix
- Corn Starch
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated White Sugar
- Egg
- Egg Yolk
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
- Caramel Sauce
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Electric mixer
🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make caramel apple cider cookies with these simple step-by-step instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In medium sized mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, salt with a whisk until well blended. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until fluffy with an electric mixer (about 30 seconds).
- Add in the vanilla and mix again until combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the apple cider drink mix and both sugars. Beat for about 1 minute until well combined and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl mid-way.
- Add in the egg and egg yolk and mix again until well incorporated.
- Pour in half of the flour mixture and then mix until combined.
- Add in the remaining half of the flour mixture and mix again just until blended. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the dough out in 2 tablespoon sized scoops and roll into balls. Place 3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Use the palm of your hand to lightly press the cookies down into a flat-topped disc no thinner than ¼ inch.
- Bake for 8 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges and the tops look mostly dry.
- Let cool for about 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled frost with buttercream.
- Prepare the buttercream by blending the butter together until fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until blended.
- Add in the caramel sauce and mix again until smooth.
- Spread over cookies or pipe on top with a fitted frosting tip. I used Wilton 1M.
📖 Variations
- Salted Caramel. If you really want to get a great flavor change to cut-down on some of the sweetness you can use salted caramel sauce instead of regular. These apple cider caramel cookies taste great both ways!
- Salt Flakes. For added appearance and taste try sprinkling some sea salt flakes over the top of your cookies. Every bite will be a blast of salty-sweet apple goodness. Yum!
🧾 Substitutions
- Gluten Free: While I have not personally tested this, you should be able to swap out the all-purpose flour for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour. The ratio would be a 1:1 switch. If you do try this, let me know in the comments how it goes!
- Caramel syrup. You can use any type of caramel sauce/syrup desired. I personally used caramel flavored ice cream topping because it's what we had on hand but both work great. The only difference is that syrup will be thinner than sauce.
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Storage. Because these cookies are covered in dairy-based frosting, it's best to keep them stored in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. You can let them chill for a few hours until solid and then layer them in a container between sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to help prevent the cookies from sticking together. Keep them stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- Make in advance. This caramel apple cookie recipe can be made in advance and kept stored in the fridge until ready to bake. Simply make the dough as directed and cover the bowl well in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for no more than 48 hours). Before baking, let the bowl sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften before scooping and rolling out into balls.
The frosting can also be prepped and kept covered in the fridge for up to a few days in advance, allow it to warm up a little so it's softer to spread on the cookies.
More great fall favorite recipes to check out soon
- Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler
- Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Homemade Peach Pie Filling
- Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peaches and Cream Bundt Cake
- Applesauce Custard Pie
📖 Recipe
Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
These caramel apple cider cookies are a wonderful way to ring in Autumn. Packed with apple flavor in the cookies and topped with a sweet caramel buttercream these cookies are sure to hit the spot!
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 226kcal
Cost Recipe $4.00 / Serving $0.17
Ingredients
Apple Cider Cookies
- 2 cup All-Purpose Flour ($0.16)
- 2 packets Apple Cider Drink Mix ($0.40)
- 1 teaspoon Corn Starch ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon Salt ($0.05)
- ½ cup Butter, softened ($0.75)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar ($0.18)
- ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar ($0.06)
- 1 large Egg ($0.08)
- 1 Egg Yolk ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract ($0.02)
Caramel Buttercream
- 1 cup Butter, softened (2 sticks) ($1.50)
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar ($0.46)
- ¼ cup Caramel Sauce ($0.23)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In medium sized mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, salt with a whisk until well blended. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl cream the butter until fluffy with an electric mixer (about 30 seconds).
- Add in the vanilla and mix again until combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the apple cider drink mix and both sugars. Beat for about 1 minutes until well combined and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl mid-way.
- Add in the egg and egg yolk and mix again until well incorporated.
- Add in half of the flour mixture and then mix until combined.
- Add in the remaining half of the flour mixture and mix again just until blended. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the dough out in 2 tablespoon sized scoops and roll into balls. Place 3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Use the palm of your hand to lightly press the cookies down into a flat-topped disc no thinner than ¼ inch.
- Bake for 8 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges and the tops look mostly dry.
- Let cool for about 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled frost with buttercream.
- Prepare the buttercream by blending the butter together until fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until blended.
- Add in the caramel sauce and mix again until smooth.
- Spread over cookies or pipe on top with a fitted frosting tip. I used Wilton 1M.
Notes
Variations
- Salted Caramel. If you really want to get a great flavor change to cut-down on some of the sweetness you can use salted caramel sauce instead of regular. These apple cider caramel cookies taste great both ways!
- Salt Flakes. For added appearance and taste try sprinkling some sea salt flakes over the top of your cookies. Every bite will be a blast of salty-sweet apple goodness. Yum!
Substitutions
- Gluten Free: While I have not personally tested this, you should be able to swap out the all-purpose flour for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour. The ratio would be a 1:1 switch. If you do try this, let me know in the comments how it goes!
- Caramel syrup. You can use any type of caramel sauce/syrup desired. I personally used caramel flavored ice cream toppping because it's what we had on hand but both work great. The only difference is that syrup will be thinner than sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Storage. Because these cookies are covered in dairy-based frosting, it's best to keep them stored in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can let them chill for a few hours until solid and then layer them in a container between sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to help prevent the cookies from sticking together. Keep them stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Make in advance
- This caramel apple cookie recipe can be made in advance and kept stored in the fridge until ready to bake. Simply make the dough as directed and cover the bowl well in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for no more than 48 hours).
- Before baking, let the bowl sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften before scooping and rolling out into balls. The frosting can also be prepped and kept covered in the fridge for up to a few days in advance, allow it to warm up a little so it's softer to spread on the cookies.
Nutritional Information
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.7g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Cholesterol: 45.9mg | Sodium: 95.6mg | Potassium: 48.1mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 103.1IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 86.7mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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Darla Hugo says
The recipe says to add the apple cider packs to the flour mix and then it says to add it to the sugar and butter mix so witch one do I add it to the flour or butter and sugar?
Nicole says
Thank you so much for catching that. You can add the cider mix to either one and still get the same tasty results. I personally recommend adding it to the butter mixture as it will help to dissolve the grainy texture a bit more. I will update the recipe to say to add it into the butter mixture.