Caramel Apple Cider Cookies are thick, chewy cookies with apple cider in every bite. They’re twice-coated in apple pie spice, brushed with a mixture of reduced apple cider and butter, & drizzled with apple cider caramel. These irresistible cookies are bursting with fall flavor and taste just like an apple cider doughnut from the orchard!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Thick & Soft Cookies – These cookies are thick and chewy, with crisp edges. In other words, the perfect cookie!
- Twice Dipped in Apple Pie Spice – Coating these cookies twice in apple pie spice makes them taste just like apple cider donuts from the apple orchard!
- Apple Cider Coating – Brushing the baked cookies with a mixture of apple cider and butter allows the second coating of apple pie spice to stick and adds so much flavor.
- Apple Cider Caramel – These cookies are finished with a drizzle of luscious apple cider caramel sauce.
Ingredient Overview
- Apple Cider – Use a good quality, real apple cider, like a jug from your local orchard! We’re reducing it by cooking it on the stovetop for about 20 minutes, to concentrate the flavor. There’s apple cider flavor in every bite of these cookies!
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Spices – I’ve used a mix of a few spices here to make a homemade apple pie spice blend in the cookies and in the cinnamon sugar coating. You’ll need cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite dairy-free butter and heavy cream to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Spices – Feel free to try cardamom in place of any of the other spices if they aren’t your favorite.
- Apple Cider – Using apple juice won’t give the exact same flavor, but you can use it if you absolutely can’t find apple cider.
- Caramel – Nothing compares to homemade salted caramel sauce, but you can use store bought in a pinch.
How to Make this Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Reduce Apple Cider & Make Salted Caramel Sauce. Reduce your apple cider by cooking it on the stovetop for about 20 minutes. Make your salted caramel sauce and let each cool in the fridge while you make the cookie dough.
Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla, and some of the cooled reduced apple cider. Add the dry ingredients and mix until you have a cookie dough. Chill for 30 minutes, then roll into balls and chill at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies. Roll the chilled dough balls in the apple pie spice sugar mixture, and bake as directed in the recipe card below. Let cool for a bit on the baking sheet.
Step 4: Dip Cookies & Coat in Apple Pie Spice. Once the cookies are cool enough to handle, or fully cooled (your preference), brush them with a mixture of melted butter and apple cider, then coat in the apple pie spice sugar again. Add it to a plate to make this easier.
Drizzle with the apple cider salted caramel sauce, and dig in to these irresistible cookies! You will fall head over heels for these – pun intended, heh.
Expert Success Tips:
- Chill the Dough – Yes, you must chill the dough for these cookies to not become flat pancakes in the oven.
- Reduce the Cider – Don’t skip this step as reduced cider has a more intense flavor, which is important as we can’t put too many wet ingredients into a cookie dough.
FAQs
- Can I Freeze the Dough? – Yes! Freeze cookie dough balls, covered with a kitchen towel. Once solid, transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Cookies can be stored this way for about 2-3 months, and can be baked straight from frozen!
- Can I Cut the Recipe in Half? – Yes, feel free to scale the recipe up or down.
Recipe Variations:
- Cardamom – Try cardamom in place of one of the other spices if they aren’t your jam.
- Glaze – Use my maple glaze to top the cookies if desired, adding a splash of the remaining apple cider until you have the desired consistency for drizzling or dunking. Reduce the maple syrup to just a splash, too.
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-6 days, or in the fridge longer. Let them sit out a bit before serving so they can come back to room temperature.
Special Tools:
- Cookie Sheet – These are my favorite cookie sheets, I’ve used them almost every day for 6 years and they’re still kicking.
- Cookie Scoop – Use this cookie scoop to make your cookies the size I did. It’s technically an ice cream scoop, but it’s the perfect size for large bakery-style cookies.
- Silicone Baking Mat – I love silicone baking mats because they’re reusable and dishwasher safe.
- Round Cutters – Use this set of round cutters for rounding cookies, cutting donuts or biscuits, and much more.
More Apple Recipes to Love:
- Apple Cider Slushies
- Salted Caramel Apple Galette
- Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Homemade Apple Fritters
- Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers
- Apple Cider Old Fashioned Cocktails
- The Best Recipes to Make During Apple Season
More Cookie Recipes to Love:
- Molasses Cookie
- Oatmeal Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo and leave a comment!
Be sure to follow bluebowlrecipes on instagram and tag #bluebowlrecipes with your photo! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the bluebowlrecipes Facebook page. I’d love to see what you make!
Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
Ingredients
For the Reduced Apple Cider
- 1 and 2/3 cup apple cider
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream
- pinch flaky sea salt
- 3 tbsp reduced apple cider
For the Cookies
- 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp reduced apple cider
- 2 and 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (415 grams)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp allspice
For the Apple Pie Spice Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 and 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
For the Apple Cider Butter Coating
- 3 tbsp reduced apple cider
- 2 tbsp salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Prep: Reduce your apple cider by cooking it, stirring occasionally, in a small saucepan on the stove, over medium-high heat until it reduces down to 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. This will take about 20 minutes. Let it cool in the fridge so it's room temperature, not hot. Make the salted caramel sauce by following my recipe here. Stir in the apple cider last. Let it cool to room temperature before using, or make it up to a week ahead and store in the fridge.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Add the sugars and mix until creamed together with the butter, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla, eggs, and apple cider, and mix until just combined. Add the dry ingredients last, and mix until a dough forms. Chill for 30 minutes to make it easier to roll the dough into balls.
- Scoop & Chill the Dough: Scoop the dough into balls about 60-65 grams with a large cookie scoop (about 2 and 1/2 tbsp), and place in an airtight container to chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 48 hours.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and spices for coating. Roll the dough balls generously in the apple pie spice cinnamon sugar mixture. Place about 6 cookies on each sheet, with room for them to spread. Bake for 11-13 minutes. The edges should look and feel set when tapped with a fingertip, and the centers will be puffy and look just a tad underdone. They will set up as they cool.
- Finish the Cookies: Let cookies cool a few minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely, or until cool enough to handle. Stir together the melted butter and apple cider in a medium bowl, then brush each cookie with a generous coating and dip in the remaining apple pie spice sugar from earlier (add it to a plate).
- Serve + Store: Drizzle cookies with apple cider caramel and dig in! Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. (The caramel needs to be refrigerated.) Let cookies come back to room temp a bit before serving.
Kelcee says
If I’m planning to freeze the dough balls, should I roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture before or after freezing?
Stephanie Simmons says
Hi Kelcee! I’d roll them in the cinnamon sugar just before baking, so after freezing. Let me know how you enjoy these! ☺️
Jessica says
I brought these for a bunco gathering with friends and everyone LOVED them. I am bringing them tomorrow for a potluck at my work but I added finely ground granny smith apple chips to the dough and apple pie spice coating to add more apple flavor, excited to share them tomorrow. 🙂
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much, Jessica! I’ll have to try that apple chips trick!
Crystal says
These cookies are show stoppers for sure! Soft and chewy combination with the delicious caramel sauce to top them off is amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe. So easy to follow!
Stephanie Simmons says
Glad you enjoyed these cookies, Crystal! ☺️
Chanel says
These turned out absolutely AMAZING! Better than I anticipated! Will definitely be making them again 🙂
Stephanie Simmons says
So glad to hear that, Chanel! Thanks so much & happy baking 🙂
Megan says
Absolutely delicious!!! These cookies are a real winner. Love everything about them, and the homemade caramel was a snap to make. YUM!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much, Megan! 🙂
Andrea says
A friend brought these to our fall barbecue party and they f*ccck. So delicious, perfect for the season, everyone loved them. I knew asking her to bring dessert was a winner. And now I get to eat leftover cookies for breakfast. Best weekend ever!
Stephanie Simmons says
So glad you loved these cookies!
Rylee says
Wait when/ how do I add the cider to the caramel?
Stephanie Simmons says
Hi Rylee! It specifies in the directions under step 1 to stir in the apple cider last. So, stir it in once you’ve finished making the caramel according to the recipe directions. Let me know how you like these!
Marissa Voss says
These cookies couldn’t have come out better! Every bite you take tastes exactly like fall, from the spices to the Carmel drizzle. If you are in the mood for something that tastes like an apple orchard then these are the cookies for you. Everyone in my family loved them and if I could give it 10/10 rating I would ❤️🍁👩🍳
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much for your kind words, Marissa! So glad you and your family enjoyed these cookies. 🙂
Elissa says
Amazingly delicious ! Brought them to work and everyone devoured them. Will definitely make more!
Stephanie Simmons says
So glad to hear that, Elissa! 🙂
Meg says
I love this recipe for a different fall dessert that doesn’t call for pumpkin! They’re so simple to make and I feel so fancy making a reduced cider. These are seriously delicious..I’ve made them 3 times because my family always asks for them..i did it once with the full recipe, another time I subbed with a 1-to-1 GF flour and a store bought Ghirardelli salted Carmel sauce and they’re fantastic either way. This is a new staple for my recipe book.
Stephanie Simmons says
So glad you enjoyed these cookies Meg! And thanks for the tip about the gluten-free flour! 🙂
Stacy MacDonald says
When baking straight from frozen, same oven temp. and time?
Stephanie Simmons says
Yes, use the same oven temp and time, and just check for doneness in the same way indicated in the recipe – you may need to add a minute or two, but start with the same time. Let me know how you like these!
Marialaina says
Absolutely amazing. Could easily win 1st place at a fall festival baking competition. I have already made 2 (double) batches and want to share them with the world. Thank you!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thank you SO much for that kind review, Marialaina! We absolutely love these cookies and I’m glad to hear you do too!
Katie says
These were delicious! I’ve never made caramel before so I was nervous about that but it turned out great! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
Stephanie Simmons says
Glad you enjoyed these, Katie! 🙂
Breanna says
I loved these cookies but my cookies spread so much and melted together. I followed it perfectly. Im so confused.
Stephanie Simmons says
Hi Breanna! I’m sorry to hear that happened. The most likely culprit is your oven – have you checked it with an oven thermometer lately to see if it’s running at the correct temperature? Sometimes ovens will run hot or cold (so when it says it’s at 350, it may actually be at 325 or 375), and this will certainly cause your cookies to spread or melt. It’s happened to me before! Did you also be sure to chill the dough long enough? Let me know, I’d love to help troubleshoot!
Klorissa says
These cookies were amazing! The caramel did take me a little while but it is sooooo yummy!!!
I even bought your recipe book!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much for your kind review and for your support, Klorissa! 🙂 Happy baking.
Kira says
These cookies were delicious. However, I will say they didn’t really taste like apple cider to me. I used a high-quality cider and reduced it as the recipe said but I still didn’t really get a cider flavor. They were great fall cookies though and I think it would be challenging to make cookies taste more like apple cider without adding actual apples
Stephanie Simmons says
Glad you enjoyed these cookies, Kira! I actually just saw someone make cookies with ground up freeze dried apples and now I’m super curious to try these cookies with that addition!
Kira says
I actually ended up mixing in some apple butter to the caramel that I had also gotten from the orchard and that made them taste a lot like apple cider!
Stephanie Simmons says
Oo that is a great idea, I’ll have to try it!
Claus Wagner says
Soft & chewy with a great hit if Apple. I could have boiled the apple cider a bit more I think. The Carmel sauce is on point. Next time I might make them a touch smaller but that’s just me.
Stephanie Simmons says
Glad you enjoyed these cookies, Claus!
Jenica says
So delicious! Everyone loves them! I ended up using pre-made caramel sauce & kinda regret it because it soaked right through the cookie:/ but they’re still great!
Stephanie Simmons says
So glad you enjoyed these cookies, Jenica! 🙂
Dee says
I’ve now had the cookies and the caramel separately and both are incredible! I imagine the two together will be beyond belief! Basically reminds me of a cider donut but even better if you can imagine that. I did refrigerate the dough overnight (as I often do) and rolled them out smaller so I had 12 cookies per cookie tray and they’re perfect! Yummmm!
Stephanie Simmons says
So glad you enjoyed these, Dee! 🙂
Miranda says
Ok YUM!! I saw these on TikTok and literally ran out to the store the moment the video was done to get the ingredients! These cookies are SO freaking good and the caramel sauce is incredible. These were pretty easy to make so go make them!
A couple things
1. I tried the dough and thought it was already pretty sweet so I didn’t do the second coating of sugar after the bake (no butter or cider either) and they were perfect
2. It probably took about 20 minutes for these to bake for me – not sure why the discrepancy but they still turned out
3. Don’t forget to add the cider to the caramel! I did and regretted it as it would have made the cookies even more cider-y
Stephanie Simmons says
Hi Miranda! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such an in-depth review – and I’m glad you enjoyed these cookies! 🙂
Blondie says
If I add cardamom should I reduce any of the other spices?
Stephanie Simmons says
I would reduce the cinnamon by however much cardamom you add. So if you add 1/2 tsp of cardamom, take away 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Let me know how you like these!