Caramel-stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Happy Fall!

I have the best thing ever for celebrating this lovely season. Caramel-stuffed Apple Cider cookies. Perfect for a crisp fall day, especially with a cup of something warm and cozy. They taste like a school carnival.

I know, right?!

Caramel-stuffed Apple Cider Cookies
Originally from The Cooking Photographer

1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (7.4 ounce) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix *Not sugar free*
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) bag Kraft Caramels

Mixing: Cream together butter, sugar, and all 10 of the cider mix packets until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing in-between each addition. In a medium bowl, mix salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour together. Add slowly to the cider mixture until just combined. Put in the fridge for at least one hour. (I actually left it in overnight, because I didn't have time. It was just fine.)

Cooking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. (The caramel is going to stick to the pan, so the paper is pretty important here.) Unwrap about 30 of your caramels. Eat about 4. Scoop dough into a ball, flatten it slightly, and wrap around the caramel. (Your hands are gonna get really sticky from the dough and the caramel) Be careful not to bunch the dough on the top, or the caramel won't melt, and you'll have squares sticking out of your cookies. (Yes, this happened to me.) Cook for about 13 mins, or until they are slightly brown and crackly on the edges. These should be chewy cookies, not crunchy.

Cooling: Slide the parchment paper onto a table or a cooling rack. When cookies are mostly cool, twist off and let finish cooling upside-down. If you are pulling the caramel out of the middle, try freezing the tray for a few minutes.

These are best eaten after sitting over a cup of the hot drink of your choice (I bought an extra box of cider mix) or put in the microwave for about seven seconds. The caramel gets all gooey and amazing. Ideally you'd be wearing your favorite sweater and boots, and a good book would make it all just perfect. Ah, Autumn.

Go. Make these. You'll be so glad you did.