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Caramel Apple Pie Cookies

Caramel Apple Pie Cookies

Thick & Chewy Salted Caramel Cookie Bars combine the indulgent texture of soft-baked cookies with rich caramel and a perfect touch of sea salt in every bite. Equal parts comforting and decadent, these bars are a delicious, crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 13 minutes
Servings 14

Ingredients
  

For the Hard Caramel:

  • 1 batch of 5-Minute Hard Caramel
  • For the Cookie Dough:
  • 1 1/2 cups 330g packed light brown sugar
  • 16 tablespoons 226g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons 19g pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 1/4 cups 439g all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
  • 1 1/2 cups 255g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped or chocolate chips
  • Flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top optional

Instructions
 

For the Caramel:

  • Begin by following the directions from the "How to Make Hard Caramel" recipe, stopping when the melted sugar turns a rich golden bronze color. Once it reaches the desired hue, immediately pour the hot caramel onto a prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly to a thickness of about 1/4 to 1/8 inch. Allow the caramel to cool completely and harden. Once hardened, chop the caramel into small, chocolate chip-sized pieces and set aside until ready to use.

For the Cookies:

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line several baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract. Cream the mixture on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until it becomes light in color and fluffy in texture.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the second. Mix well. Then, add the baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt, and continue to mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until everything is fully blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
  • Add the flour to the bowl and gently mix until the dough is almost fully combined, leaving some visible streaks of flour. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure no pockets of dry ingredients remain. Then, fold in the chopped dark chocolate and the prepared caramel pieces, mixing just until evenly distributed.
  • Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets in 2-tablespoon portions, spacing the cookie dough balls about 2 inches (5 cm) apart to allow for spreading.
  • Bake the cookies one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 11 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and use the edge of a silicone spatula to gently reshape them into neat circles if needed. Return the tray to the oven and bake for one additional minute. The cookies should appear slightly underbaked in the center when you remove them—they will continue to set as they cool.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt before serving for that extra burst of flavor. Enjoy!

Notes

What Caramel to Use in Cookies
This recipe uses a quick homemade hard caramel that comes together in just a few minutes—no trip to the store necessary, and no candy thermometer required. If you already have soft caramel candies at home (like Werther’s soft caramels), you can chop them into halves or quarters and use them in place of the homemade hard caramel. Keep in mind, though, that using soft caramels will change the final texture of your cookies. The homemade hard caramel creates small, crunchy caramel bits throughout the cookies, while soft caramels will melt more into the dough, resulting in a chewier texture.