SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In medium bowl, crumble cookie dough; stir or knead in flour until well mixed. (DO NOT EAT RAW COOKIE DOUGH AFTER COMBINING WITH FLOUR.) Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased large cookie sheets.
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are set and light golden brown. Using back of round metal measuring teaspoon, make 1 1/4-inch indentation in center of each cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and whipping cream uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until caramels are melted and smooth. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon caramel into center of each cookie; sprinkle with salt. Let stand about 10 minutes or until caramel is set. Store covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Grate apples on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor with the grater attachment. Transfer grated apples to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze over a medium bowl to extract all the juice possible. Measure out ¼ cup apple juice and set aside (save any leftover apple juice for another use). Set grated apples aside (you should have about 2½ cups).
• Bring sugar, cream of tartar, and reserved ¼ cup apple juice to a rapid boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring just to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring but swirling pan often, until bubbles slow and caramel turns a deep amber color, 5–7 minutes. Remove caramel from heat and stir in butter, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
• Set pan over medium-low heat and add reserved grated apples, stirring quickly to combine (don’t worry if the caramel mixture looks like it’s seizing at first). Cook apple caramel, stirring constantly, until the liquid from the apples has evaporated and the bubbles noticeably slow down, 9–11 minutes. (The caramel should be sticky and clump together as you stir). Scrape apple caramel onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer; let cool 30 minutes. Set ¼ cup apple caramel aside for topping cookies.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a medium bowl to combine.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, starting on low speed, then increasing speed to medium, until combined, about 2 minutes total. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating thoroughly before adding the next, then add vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add apple caramel and pulse mixer two or three times to swirl caramel throughout dough or fold in caramel using a sturdy rubber spatula (take care not to overmix or else you’ll lose the swirled caramel effect as the cookies bake).
• Using a #20 ice cream scoop (about 3 Tbsp.), portion out 16 balls and divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 2" apart (you will have dough left over). Top each cookie with a few small pieces of reserved apple caramel and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until golden brown at the edges, 13–16 minutes. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Let 1 baking sheet cool, then repeat process with remaining dough to make 8 more cookies (they may bake slightly faster). Do ahead: Cookies can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.