These apple cider cookies are soft and chewy with the flavor of cinnamon, and apple cider in every bite. With a chewy caramel in the middle they’re a perfect cookie for fall!
These caramel apple cider cookies are full of delicious apple cider flavor in every bite, with a fun surprise of soft caramel in the middle. Especially when you eat them warm!
I like to heat mine up in the microwave if I’m enjoying them again after they’ve cooled down to get the caramel in the middle nice and warm and gooey. Just about 5 to 10 seconds is all you need.
These cookies are the perfect combination of apple cider and caramel apples. They kind of remind me of those yummy green caramel apple suckers I grew up getting for Halloween. Or of my favorite hot drink in the fall, the caramel apple spice from Starbucks.
These caramel apple cider cookies are so soft and chewy in every bite. So delicious and so good to make this fall!
I originally adapted this recipe from What’s Cooking with Ruthie.
How to make Caramel Apple Cider Cookies?
Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix for a couple minutes till nice and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract, egg, and apple juice and stir it all together.
Mix in the dry ingredients, the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and apple cider mix. You should have a nice soft dough. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour, to help keep the cookies from being too flat.
When you’re almost ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven. Unwrap the soft caramels too. Take a tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten it in your hand. Put a caramel in the middle and roll the dough around the caramel. Place the ball onto a prepared cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for a few minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack. Enjoy cookies warm, or let them cool completely.
Tips and Tricks:
- Make sure you are using real apple cider, not apple cider vinegar. If you can’t find apple cider a pure apple juice will work.
- Roll the cookie dough in a ground cinnamon and granulated sugar mixture, or a sugar and apple pie spice mixture before baking for even more of a delicious fall flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to store cookies?
If you have any leftover cookies, store them once they are cooled in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
How to freeze cookies?
These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Store them in a freezer safe container, or in a double layered zip top bag. Let them thaw at room temperature until soft. Or microwave them for a few seconds to warm them up again.
These caramel apple cider cookies are such a delicious fall cookie. They’re bursting with apple flavor in every single bite! The cookies have the best chewy centers, slightly crispy edges, and the gooey caramel in the middle is near perfection!
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Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, softened)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 3 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 5 packets Apple Cider Instant Drink from a 7.4 oz 10 packet box
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 14 oz caramels
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
- Combine the sugars and butter in a large bowl. Cream together until well mixed.
- Add in vanilla, eggs and apple cider and stir into the mixture.
- Add flour, apple cider mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to the bowl and mix it all together.
- Refrigerate mixture for about 1 hour, or longer.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap all your caramels. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat liner.
- Take about 1 TBS of cookie dough into your hand and flatten it.
- Put a caramel in the middle of the dough and roll the dough into a ball around the caramel.
- Place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until edges start to turn golden, and the top of the cookies are set.
- When cookies are done allow them to cool about 5 minutes on the pan.
- Then carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Allow the cookies to continue cooling completely, or enjoy warm.
Nutrition
These Caramel Apple Cider cookies were first posted on November 11, 2013. The photos and blog text were updated on September 11, 2020 but the recipe stayed the same.
Terri/LoveandConfections says
Apple cider and Caramel are always a winning combination. Yum!
Michelle Thayer says
My favorite cookie to make are snowballs/russian teacakes/wedding cakes.
Isabelle @ Crumb says
You had me at the gooey caramel centers… that’s one of the few things I just can’t say no to! Love the pairing of the caramel with apple cider, too. Such a perfect fall combination.
Stacy says
Caramels and apples are such a classic combination! Love these, Aimee!
Carla says
Love the caramel surprise in the middle!
Julie says
I love to make my grandma’s shortbread cookies for the holidays!
beyondfrosting says
These look fantastic! I love the apple cider flavor!
hicksfan7 says
These look delicious. My favorite Holiday cookie has always been the Peanut Butter ones with the choc kiss in the middle!
Aimee Berrett says
Perfect, I’ve got a “peanut butter blossom” recipe coming on Wednesday 🙂
Nataly Carbonell says
I love to bake almond cookies
Christine Friesenhahn says
Apple Cider drink mix?? Excellent!!! I smell caramel apples!!
Debbie Hawkins says
Christmas cookies in this house are not complete without a shortbread cookie with a candy Kiss in the center. Festive and yummy!
marissa | rae gun ramblings says
you have this ability to get me drooling! I am so excited to try this recipe, pinning
Maureen says
I am make a few items one of which is eggnog cheesecake bars or I also make white chocolate chip cherry cookies.
Bonnie Andrews (@HobbytoHOT) says
These sound magical! They’re definitely going on the board for this weeks meal plan!
Amber Brady says
I love these, but I use the caramel bits so they are more dispersed like chocolate chips 🙂
Aimee Berrett says
Amber I like that idea and I might have to try it next time. I think the smaller pieces would help the caramel from getting so hard in the middle as they cooled down as well!
Becky Bevan Blad says
Great recipe! That’s so fun it uses apple cider mix!
Jennifer Stott (@JenSto2t) says
I love that you used the instant apple cider mix! These cookies sound delicious.
Jacquie says
I can remember, being 3 years old, sitting on the kitchen counter helping my Mom roll our family recipe of Sandtarts (walnut butter cookies) in powdered sugar! Mom made them every year! I have continued the tradition over the years as well as other cookies and goodies. It’s was an amazing warm-and-fuzzy with my Mom! Can’t wait to try these yummy cookies!
triedandtasty says
Yum! These sound DELICIOUS! I love cookies, I’m a huge fan. If I had to pict a favorite – that would be SO hard.. but let me think.. My Chocolate Chip Cafe Cookies (http://triedandtasty.com/2011/05/chocolate-chip-cafe-cookies/) would rank pretty close to the top! Excited for your giveaway 🙂
Mallory @ Total Noms says
Oh. my. goodness. These cookies look so amazing, and with that caramel center… woah. I love the use of apple cider here. So excited to be a part of #cookieweek with you!
Ruthie says
I’m so glad you liked these cookies.. they are amazing, right?! Thanks for the link back! AND it was so fun to meet you the other night too. Have a fabulous day 🙂 xoxo~ Ruthie
PS- I love these cookies the best
Helene D'Souza says
Aww your cookies look fantastic. Love the melting center and I can’t wait to try them out soon!
cookingactress says
Mmmm love that caramel in the center!
Liz Berg says
Oh, wow!!! I love apple treats…and adding caramel make these cookies so irresistible!!!
Susan P. (@littleredkitchn) says
It’s all about the caramel surprise in the center! Such a burst of flavor in a cookie. Thanks for joining in this week!