Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

 Fall is, by far, my favorite time of the year.  The leaves are changing colors, and I especially love making trips out to the apple orchards. When I came across this recipe on line, I just knew that I would have to try it. I’m so glad that I did. These cookies are fabulous.  They taste just like caramel apples!

Would you believe that when I went to go make these cookies I went in the fridge and there was no butter? BUTTER! Seriously, who doesn’t have butter in their fridge? I’ll tell you who, me! I made sure that I had bought all the other ingredients and was ready to go. The one thing I didn’t think I would have to worry about was the butter. But, a quick trip to the store and I was back on track.

First mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon together.

In a separate bowl mix together the butter, sugar, salt, and apple cider packets until light and fluffy.

 

It should look something like this.

Beat in one egg at a time and then your vanilla and mix well.

Slowly mix flour mix into egg mix and combine completely. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Then you get to add the good stuff.

Scoop out a walnut sized ball of cookie dough and press it flat in your hand.  Place an unwrapped caramel in the middle and enclose the cookie dough around it. Place on cookie sheet and cook for 12-14min at 350 degrees.

I’m not going to lie; I was a little bummed out when a lot of the cookies turned out like this.

 

Then there were some like these.  They were so good. Honestly, the best way I could describe them is that they tasted like "fall."

Recipe from Scrambled Henfruit

1 cup softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10 packets  

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups all purpose flour

1bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (You really need the parchment!)

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

With your mixer cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.

Refrigerate for about an hour. (If you're really impatient you don't have to do this, but it makes it so much easier to work with.) While the dough is chilling, unwrap the caramels.

Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut.

Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.) If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they'll pop right off.

Yield: about 4 dozen, depending on how large you make your cookies. Store in an airtight container.