Caramel Apple Cookies with Apple Caramel Frosting Recipe

It’s apple season! These are a fantastic treat to make and enjoy those abundance of apples. But the good news is that apples are an affordable fruit all-year and so they are great to always have around and make something different and unconventional – beyond the washing and eating.

Well, these might be just the ticket to a yummy, warm, chewy, gooey, sweet apple treat!

How To Make Caramel Apple Cookies with Creamy Caramel Apple Frosting

Ingredients Needed for Caramel Apple Cookies with Creamy Apple Caramel Frosting Recipe

Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (scant, remove 1 tablespoon) frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed but still cold

Frosting Ingredients:

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 ½ tablespoons apple juice concentrate
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon water
• ½ cup finely chopped pecans

Directions For Caramel Apple Cookies with Creamy Apple Caramel Frosting Recipe

For Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg for 20 seconds, set aside.

3. Place peeled and chopped apples in food processor. Pulse a few times to chop coarsely – creating very small chunks. In a small bowl, combine finely chopped apple (including juices from the apples) and lemon juice, set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and brown sugar until creamy – scrape down sides of bowl and bottom of bowl, occasionally.

5. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture, and then (with mixer running on low speed), slowly add in apple juice concentrate, and remaining half of flour mixture. Add apple and lemon mixture.

6. Scoop dough with a tablespoon and drop onto parchment paper lined baking sheets – placing cookies 2-inches apart.

7.Bake in preheated oven 11-12 minutes. Cook on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to completely cool.

For Frosting:

1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, apple juice concentrate and salt. Heat mixture over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until sugar has dissolved.

2. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over cookies, and immediately sprinkle with pecans as frosting sets quickly.

Notes: As frosting cools, it will thicken – so add ½ tsp. warm water at a time to thin as needed for a more spreadable consistency. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Serve and Enjoy! 

Here’s a printable recipe for you, just click on the “print” button below: