Preparation

• Start by preparing the cookie dough: put the soft butter in a bowl and add the sugar. Work with electric beaters (or with the stand mixer using the paddle attachment) until you obtain a smooth and fluffy cream.

  

• Add the eggs and spices to the butter cream, and work until the eggs are fully incorporated. Then gradually incorporate the flour until you get a dough similar to shortcrust pastry. Let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. If the dough is not sticky to the touch (depends on temperature), you can also work it immediately without resting.

  

• Form 14 balls of about 70 g each and, this time, I recommend letting them rest covered in the freezer. In the original cookie recipe, the resting of the balls can last up to 48 hours in the refrigerator for a perfect bake, but I assure you that a rest of at least 30 minutes in the freezer will still yield excellent results.
  While the cookies are resting, you can focus on the other preparations.

  

• Pour all the sugar intended for the caramel into a non-stick saucepan and heat over medium heat. Meanwhile, warm the cream: you can do this on the stovetop or, as I suggest, in the microwave, until it’s almost boiling.
  When the sugar is completely melted and starts to brown, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the hot cream. During the sugar melting process, you can gently stir to prevent sticking, being careful not to stir too vigorously, otherwise it cools and thickens. The cream must be very hot when joining.

  

• After mixing the cream well with the sugar, add the cold butter in pieces and stir with a fork or a hand whisk until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Finally, add a pinch of salt: your salted caramel is ready!
  I suggest transferring it to a glass container to cool completely.

  

• It’s time to prepare the apple mixture: peel the apples and cut them into cubes. Put them in a non-stick pan with the butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and lemon juice.
  Cook over moderate heat, covering with a lid, for 15-18 minutes, until the apples are soft. Stir occasionally and be careful not to let all the juice formed during cooking evaporate.

  

• When the apples are cooked, they should still contain some liquid. To thicken it, let’s prepare the “cornstarch slurry” (our thickening sauce 😄): in a glass, combine the cornstarch with the required water and mix until you get a homogeneous mixture.
  Add it to the apples; as it cools, the mixture will become thicker. To speed up the cooling, I suggest transferring the apples to a glass bowl.

  

• We have reached the final stage: baking the cookies. Before baking them, roll the balls in the sugar mixture. To do this, pour all the required ingredients into a deep dish. Retrieve the cookie balls from the freezer and roll them in the mixture, covering well the entire surface.
  Then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving enough space between each ball because the cookies will spread while baking. Two baking sheets will be necessary, and I suggest baking one at a time for more even cooking.
  Bake in a preheated oven at 365°F for about 10-12 minutes. Check the cookies already after 10 minutes: they should not become hard but remain soft in the center.

  

• Once out of the oven, let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes. With the concave part of a spoon, create a small depression in the center of each cookie, taking care not to press too much: otherwise, the cookies may crack, as happened to us.
  At this point, fill the cavity with the apple mixture, being generous. If the filling is well cooled, it will remain soft without leaking out of the cookie.

  

• The final result is delicious apple pie cookies ready to be enjoyed! Now you can have fun decorating them with the salted caramel. I, as shown in the photo at the beginning of the recipe, simply traced cross lines on the cookie using a knife dipped in caramel, but feel free to unleash your creativity. If you prefer, you can also use no caramel: the cookies will still be delicious.