Apple Cider Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles are a fun twist on the classic Snickerdoodle cookie. A Snickerdoodle is a soft, chewy sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon-sugar for a tasty mix of flavours. This is the twist you never knew you needed. One bite into the center, and you’ll discover a chewy tangy caramel surprise. With the tangy flavour of apple cider and the yummy richness of caramel, this is autumn in a cookie. Whether you’re a Snickerdoodle fan or you are trying it for the first time, this version is sure to win you over.
I made my own apple cider caramels to stuff into the center for a fun surprise. A quick Google search revealed several sources for buying apple cider caramels online. (these or these) This is an option if you don’t want to make them yourself. The other choice is to use Werther’s Chewy Caramel Candies. It won’t be as apple forward in flavour, but they are an excellent second choice. They stay chewy even after the cookies cool. I used them in these cookies and they were excellent.
To really amplify the apple flavour, I’ve incorporated a secret ingredient into my sugar-cinnamon coating. A few spoonfuls of freeze-dried apple powder add a delightful tangy twist without any unwanted moisture.
Keys to success for Apple Cider Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles
- The recipe calls for cream of tartar. Don’t leave it out. It serves two functions. It adds a tangy flavour. Second, it combines with baking powder’s lifting power. This leads to a cookie with crispy edges and a chewy center.
- Use a cookie scoop for portion control as well as texture. It gives wonderful ridges on top of the cookie for all the cinnamon sugar mixture to adhere to. Scoop the dough when soft and then chill dough balls for the best texture.
- Don’t put too many cookies onto cookie sheet. About 6 is perfect for a half sheetpan. (18 x 13 inches)
- Double the baking sheets to insulate the bottom of the cookie from getting too brown.
- Let cookies cool completely on baking sheet before trying to move them.
- If any caramel oozes out, do the cookie scoot. See the video below. Use a cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie.
Apple Cider Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles
A twist on the classic Snickerdoodle, with a surprising chewy apple cider caramel center.
Equipment
- 1 #30 cookie scoop holds about 2 tablespoons
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Cookies
- 227 grams unsalted butter, room temperature removed from fridge 30 minutes before making the cookie dough
- 264 grams granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 375 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
Assembly
- 23 apple cider caramels (recipe below) or 23 Werther's Chewy Caramel Candies
- 1/2 cup coarse white sanding sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freeze dried apple powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl and hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream room temperature butter, and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes, Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.
- Place flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium sized bowl. Whisk gently to combine. On low speed, gradually add dry ingredients to mixer. Mix just until they dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet.
- Using a #30 cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop a ball of dough and pack it in well with your fingers to level out the top. Before releasing dough from scoop, stuff one caramel into the center of dough ball, pushing well, to bury it in the center of the dough. Release dough ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and continue until all the dough is scooped.
- In a small bowl, mix together coarse sanding sugar, cinnamon and freeze dried apple powder. Roll dough balls in sugar mixture, pressing firmly to pack on lots of coating. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Stack 2 half sheet pans (13×18 inches) together, lining the top sheet with parchment paper. Doubling the baking sheets insulates the bottom of the cookies so they do not get burned.
- Place on baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between cookies, as they will spread as they bake. I fit 6 cookies onto a half sheet pan (13×18 inches).
- Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees, in case you have any hot spots in your oven. Continue baking for an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking sheet. The toffee may ooze out and create scraggly looking cookies. Use a cookie cutter slightly bigger than the cookie to "scoot" the cookies (swirling motion to make cookies round again) while still warm once they are done baking. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
- Cookies will flatten as they cool. These cookies will keep well at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, freeze. The caramel will soften when thawed.
Notes
The Snickerdoodle cookie recipe base is adapted from sallysbakingaddiction. The chewy apple cider caramel center is from my imagination. The recipe for the caramels makes more than you will need for stuffing the cookies. They keep well in the fridge for several weeks.
If you don’t want to make your own caramels, you can certainly use store-bought to stuff the cookies with. They will still be delicious, just not as intensely apple flavoured. I recommend Werther’s Chewy Caramels. They stay soft in the center even after cooling.
The Snickerdoodles get rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture that includes a bit of freeze dried apple powder. It can be ordered online. A little bit really packs a wallop of apple flavour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 91mgPotassium: 83mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 273IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Apple Cider Caramels
A tart and sweet caramel with intense apple notes. Delicious stuffed into Snickerdoodle cookies or on their own as a chewy treat.
Equipment
- 1 candy thermometer
- 1 8 inch square baking pan straight sides preferred
Ingredients
- 1 litre apple cider
- 113 grams unsalted butter
- 198 grams granulated sugar
- 107 grams dark brown sugar
- 75 grams 35% whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Maldon flaky sea salt
Coating ingredients
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom 3.5-4 quart pot (a Le Creuset is ideal for this), bring apple cider to a boil and cook on high until thick and syrupy and reduced to 1/2 cup liquid. This should take about 25-30 minutes.
- While cider is reducing, line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Here is a video showing the best way to do this.
- Remove pot of reduced cider from the heat. Add butter, both sugars and cream to reduced cider. Return to burner on medium heat and stir until everything is combined. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and continue cooking until caramel reaches 245°-250°F (firm ball stage). This happens fairly quickly, about 5 minutes, so don't walk away.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in cinnamon and sea salt. Pour into parchment lined baking pan. Let sit for at least 2 hours, until cooled. You can chill in fridge to cool faster if you want. Once cooled, oil a large sharp chef's knife and cut into 64 1-inch squares (8 columns and 8 rows). Oil the knife before each slice so the caramel does not stick.
- Store caramels in an airtight container in fridge until ready to use.
Nutrition
Calories: 42kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 0.1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 74mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.04mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I try not to comment until I’ve tried a recipe. But just the idea of these Apple Cider Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles should be given some kind of trophy. I can’t wait to make these. So I’m not going to. A really old man needs something to do and something to look forward to each day. And today, I’m looking forward to eating these brilliant cookies! Thank you!
Thanks so much for your sweet comment John. It makes me so happy that my description, photos and video can inspire someone to actually bake the recipes I post. I love to share the joy! Please let me know what you think of them.
You do a pretty neat trick here with these delicious sounding cookies. Your ingredient list commands us to remove the butter from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. But then later in the directions, we are asked to chill the cookie dough (with butter incorporated, one can only assume) in the fridge for up to 3 days. How is that trick accomplished? Will I get in trouble if I pull the butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before *mixing* instead of baking?
Thanks for this and so many other truly unique and delicious sounding recipes. My 2 little granddaughters and I bake one ‘new’ cookie recipe each week. I foresee our recipes all coming from Salt and Serenity for many weeks to come!
Hi John, I really need to hire you to test my recipes! Excellent catches on my errors. I have made the corrections on the recipe now and all your queries have been addressed. Have fun baking with your granddaughters. Such a joy.
Sorry, but I have 1 more question. In your directions for the cookie dough, there doesn’t seem to be a mention of the 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon listed in the ingredients. May I assume the 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon should be whisked in with the flour and other dry ingredients? Or was its inclusion at that point in the ingredients list a typo? Thanks yet again!
Yes, the cinnamon is mixed in with the dry ingredients. All fixed on recipe now.
I am SO sorry! But I have one more small question before I’ll feel safe to try these cookies with my granddaughters. The list of ingredients says to use “1 teaspoon baking powder.” But then down in the directions, we read, “Place flour, cream of tartar, baking *soda* [emphasis mine] and salt in a medium sized bowl.” I’m assuming baking soda and powder may not be used interchangeably, so I’d love to know which I should use. Thanks so much, and please forgive my interruptions!
Should be baking soda. All fixed now.
Last question, I swear! But I don’t understand what I’m meant to do here: “Bake for 6 minutes. Continue baking for an additional 5-6 minutes.” Does this mean I should just bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes? Or did you perhaps leave out some piece of instruction following “Bake for 6 minutes”?
Forgot to say that after 5 minutes you rotate pan 180° in case you have any hot spots in your oven. All fixed now.
My younger granddaughter adores school. The fact that she wants to give (lots and lots” of these cookies to her teacher for Christmas is the highest compliment I can imagine. What a masterpiece! Thank you!