Frosted Caramel Apple Cookies
Frosted caramel apple cookies are a fun way to turn a favorite fall treat into a homemade cookie. Soft cinnamon brown sugar cookies are topped with creamy salted caramel buttercream, tender cinnamon apples, and a drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce. They’re a cozy fall dessert with plenty of cinnamon, brown sugar, apple, and caramel in every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy cinnamon cookies: Brown sugar and cinnamon make a cozy cookie base for all those caramel apple toppings.
- Caramel in every layer: Salted caramel flavors the creamy buttercream and gets drizzled over the finished cookies.
- Tender cinnamon apples: The apple topping adds fresh apple flavor and texture to balance the sweet, creamy frosting and caramel.
- Easy-to-make components: There are a few parts to prepare, but each one is simple to make, and they come together for one seriously delicious cookie.
- Perfect for fall: With apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and caramel, these cookies have all the flavors you want in a fall dessert.
Looking for more fall treats? Try my Apple Crisp Cookies, Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies, or Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies for your next batch of fall cookies.
Ingredient Notes
- Granny Smith apples: Granny Smith apples have a firm texture and tart flavor that balance out the sweetness. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn are also great options.
- Salted caramel sauce: Homemade salted caramel sauce is used in the buttercream and for drizzling over the cookies. Store-bought caramel sauce can also be used, but keep in mind that the consistency can vary between brands. The homemade salted caramel can be made ahead of time and stored until ready to use.
- Room temperature ingredients: Bring the butter, eggs, heavy cream, and salted caramel sauce to room temperature as directed before making the recipe. This helps the ingredients combine more smoothly and evenly.
How to Make Frosted Caramel Apple Cookies
Make the cinnamon brown sugar cookie dough.
Portion the cookie dough into balls and chill for 30 minutes.
Bake the chilled cookie dough until the edges are set and the centers are slightly underbaked.
Prepare the salted caramel sauce and allow it to cool. (This can also be made ahead).
Make the salted caramel buttercream frosting.
Cook the diced apples with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until tender but still holding their shape.
Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cookies and spread it toward the edges, creating a slightly raised rim.
Spoon the cinnamon apples onto the buttercream, drizzle with salted caramel sauce, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Use a large cookie scoop. Portion the dough with a large cookie scoop to keep the cookies uniform in size so they bake evenly.
- Chill the cookie dough. Chilling the portioned cookie dough for 30 minutes helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. The edges should be set while the centers still look slightly underbaked. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, which helps keep the centers soft and chewy.
- Shape the cookies while they’re warm. Immediately after baking, swirl a bowl or round cookie cutter around each cookie to smooth the edges and create perfectly round cookies.
- Let everything cool completely before assembling. Make sure the cookies, salted caramel sauce, and cinnamon apples are cool so they don’t soften or melt the buttercream.
- Don’t overcook the apples. Cook them until tender but still holding their shape. Apples that are too soft can create a mushy topping.
- Create a rim with the buttercream. Leave the outer edge of the buttercream slightly higher to help contain the cinnamon apples and caramel sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Granny Smith apples are the tested choice for this recipe. Other firm apples, such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn, may work as alternatives, but they haven’t been tested with this recipe.
A thick store-bought caramel sauce may work for drizzling over the finished cookies. Homemade salted caramel is preferred for the buttercream because the consistency of store-bought caramel sauces can vary.
Yes! Store the salted caramel sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready to use it, heat the caramel in the microwave in 15-second intervals until melted but still thick.
Yes, but you’ll need to reduce the baking time. Start checking the cookies earlier and look for the same doneness cues: set edges with centers that still look slightly underbaked.
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Frosted Caramel Apple Cookies
Ingredients
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cookies
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups (330 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- 3 tsp (3 tsp) vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (57 g) salted caramel sauce
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) heavy cream (room temperature)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (¼ tsp) salt
Cinnamon Apples
- 4 ½ cups (575 g) diced Granny Smith apples (peeled)
- 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
Salted Caramel Sauce
- ½ cup (113 g) salted caramel sauce
Instructions
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cookies
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Make the cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the cookie dough comes together. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Scoop and chill the dough. Using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons), portion the dough. Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven. While the cookie dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Bake the cookies. Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between them for spreading. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underbaked.
- Cool the cookies. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Whip the butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer itted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature butter on medium speed for 5 minutes, until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the salted caramel sauce, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Whip the buttercream. Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip for 2 to 3 minutes, until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
Cinnamon Apples
- Cook the cinnamon apples. Add the diced apples, butter, light brown sugar, and cinnamon to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape and the butter and brown sugar have melted together to form a thick sauce. Remove from the heat and allow the apples to cool completely.
Assembling the Cookies
- Frost the cookies. Transfer the salted caramel buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Pipe the buttercream onto each cooled cookie, then use an offset spatula to spread the frosting, leaving a slightly raised rim around the outer edge to help contain the apples and caramel.
- Add the cinnamon apples. Spoon the cooled cinnamon apple mixture into the center of each frosted cookie, keeping the apples inside the raised edge of buttercream.
- Add the caramel. Transfer the salted caramel sauce to a piping bag and drizzle over the cookies. Alternatively, use a spoon to drizzle the caramel over the top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Notes
- Room temperature: The assembled cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours.
- Refrigerator: Store the assembled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The cinnamon apples may become a little juicy over time. Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving.
- Freezer: Store baked, unfrosted cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the fully assembled cookies.
- Unbaked cookie dough: Store the portioned cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Salted caramel sauce: Store the salted caramel sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When ready to use, microwave in 15-second intervals until melted but still thick.
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
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