Caramel Apple Cookies with Peanuts

5 from 1 vote

Caramel Apple Cookies with Peanuts

Soft apple cookies filled with diced Granny Smith apple and chopped peanuts, then topped with creamy caramel buttercream and an extra sprinkle of roasted peanuts.

Prep Time15

Total Bake Time22

Chill30

Total Time1 7

Course: Cookies, Nuts

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: cookies

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Barbara Hall

Ingredients

COOKIES

1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted
½ cup (110 g) Light brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) Sugar white
1 Egg
1 ½ Tablespoon Apple juice
2 ¾ cup (343.75 g) All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ cup (73 g) Peanuts dry roasted chopped
1 Granny Smith apples peeled and cut into small pieces

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted
¼ cup (59.15 g) Caramel dip
1 ½ cup (180 g) Powdered sugar
½ cup (73 g) Chopped peanuts topping

Instructions

COOKIE DOUGH

Dice the peeled and cored Granny Smith apple into small pieces. Squeeze a small amount of lemon juice over the apple and gently toss to help prevent browning.
Weigh or measure the white sugar and light brown sugar into a bowl and set it aside. In a separate bowl, weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to blend.
Cube the room-temperature butter into a mixer bowl and cream on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.
Add the egg and apple juice, mixing until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture about one-third at a time. Mix just until incorporated.
Scrape down the bowl, then add the diced apple and chopped peanuts. Mix on low just until distributed throughout the dough. Finish mixing with a spatula if needed.
Add the cut-up Granny Smith apples and the chopped peanuts. Turn the mixer on medium-low and blend for about 30 to 45 seconds. You may have to hand mix a little to get the apples and peanuts throughout the whole dough. Then, stick the mixing bowl into the refrigerator for half an hour.
Cover the mixer bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, place 12 mounds of dough on each pan.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Add the caramel dip, room-temperature butter, and powdered sugar to a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Start on the lowest speed until the powdered sugar begins to blend into the butter and caramel. Otherwise, look out for the sugar bath!
Gradually increase to medium-high speed and beat for 3 minutes. The frosting should be firm enough to hold its shape without drooping from the paddle. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for another minute.
Spread the caramel buttercream over the completely cooled cookies and sprinkle the chopped dry-roasted peanuts on top.

Recipe Notes

Dice the Granny Smith apple into small pieces so it spreads evenly throughout the dough. Use only enough lemon juice to lightly coat the apple and prevent browning.
Use a thick prepared caramel dip for the buttercream. A thin caramel sauce may make the frosting too soft to hold its shape.
Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. The caramel buttercream remains soft, so store the finished cookies in a single layer rather than stacking them.

Nutrition