Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel Filling

By Cathers

These apple cider cookies with caramel filling are unique, delicious and perfect for fall!

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix - not sugar free - all 10 packets
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Preparation

Step 1

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon
With your mixer, cream together butter, sugar,salt and all 10 pkgs of drink mix powder, until light and fluffy
Beat in eggs, one at a time
Add vanilla and mix well
Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture and mix until combined
Refrigerate for about an hour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line cookie sheets with parchment
When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels
Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a tablespoon
Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand
Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely
Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart
Bake 12 - 14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges (see notes)
Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet onto the counter
Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment
When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down on the parchment (see notes)

Notes: 12 minutes worked perfectly for my cookies. Check them at 12. You don't want to over bake these cookies! If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they'll pop off.