Caramel Apple Cider Cookies combine apple cider drink mix and caramel bits for a soft, chewy cookie packed with warm fall flavor.
More apple recipes you may enjoy: Apple Cider Donut Cake, Apple Butter Cookies, and Apple Fritter Cake.
Fall Flavors
When the air turns crisp and fall arrives, I always want to bake. Two flavors I reach for first are caramel and apple, and they come together beautifully in these cookies.
Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
If making homemade caramel apples sounds like too big a project, these cookies are the perfect shortcut. They capture the cozy spice and apple notes of cider with chewy caramel pockets, similar in spirit to an easy caramel apple cobbler but much quicker to prepare.
Lynne’s Comment
“By far one of the best cookies I have made. Everyone raved about them. They are now on my permanent fall cookie list!! Thank you for such a unique recipe.”
Special Ingredients
These cookies use a basic cookie dough with two simple twists: apple cider drink mix and caramel bits. The cider mix replaces part of the sugar and brings apple and spice flavor, while caramel bits give a chewy caramel bite without unwrapping individual caramels.
How to Make Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
These cookies come together quickly. The full ingredient amounts and printable recipe are available in the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line half-sheet pans with parchment or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and apple cider drink mix with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until blended.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined, then fold in the caramel bits.
- Use a medium scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons, a #40 scoop) to portion dough into balls. Place dough balls about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet (about eight per tray).
Baking
- Bake at 350°F for 11–12 minutes. Watch closely and avoid over-baking so the cookies stay soft and chewy.
- While cookies are still warm, press the edges inward with a spatula or round cutter if the caramel has melted at the edge. Let cookies cool on the pan until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
To freeze the dough: scoop dough balls onto a lined baking sheet and freeze 1–2 hours until firm. Transfer frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag and keep up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough 3–5 minutes longer than fresh.
Extra Tips
- Line the pan. Parchment paper or a silicone mat prevents melted caramel from sticking.
- Use a cookie scoop. A scoop ensures even, uniform cookies. A #30 or #40 scoop works well; the #40 (~1.5 tbsp) was used for the cookies shown.
- Space dough 3 inches apart. Baking fewer cookies per tray (about eight) prevents them from spreading into one another and yields thicker, chewier cookies.
If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments below. Thanks!
Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 5 packets (about 105 g) spiced apple cider drink mix (not sugar-free)
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, stir, spoon & level
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (192 g) caramel bits
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer
- #40 cookie scoop (optional)
- Half sheet pans
- Silicone baking mats or parchment
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
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Cream butter, sugar, and apple cider mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
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Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
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Fold in caramel bits. Scoop dough with a #40 or similar scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) and place balls 3 inches apart on the prepared pans.
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Bake 11–12 minutes. If caramel melts at the edges, gently press edges inward while warm. Cool on the pan until firm, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.
- Freeze scooped dough on a lined sheet for 1–2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough 3–5 minutes longer.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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*Originally published 9/23/2012. Post updated August 2023.
