Caramel Apple Cookies

Good morning! Today I'm sharing a recipe that I stumbled upon over Christmas. I made these cookies for my family, and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved them, and Jon happily taste tested a few, and decided they were unfit to be served to my family (he wanted to keep them for himself).

Cookies:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon apple pie spice *
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup apple juice or milk
1/4 cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large tart apple, peeled and coarsely shredded (about 1 cup)

Icing:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons apple juice
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside
• In a mixing bowl beat the 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, the baking soda, apple pie spice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bow. Beat in egg until combined. Add the 1/2 cup apple juice and the whole wheat flour, beating on low speed until combined. Beat in as much of the all-purpose flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour and the shredded apple.
• Drop dough by slightly rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until tops are light brown. Cool on cookie sheer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.
• In a small saucepan cook and stir the 1/2 cup brown sugar, the 3 tablespoons of butter and the 3 tablespoons of apple juice over medium heat until brown sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until combined. Spread cookies with frosting and sprinkle with pecans. If frosting begins to harden, stir in a small amount of apple juice to reach spreading consistency.

Makes about 36 cookies

To Store: layer unfrosted cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies, if frozen. Spread with frosting and sprinkle with pecans.

*Apple Pie Spice Recipe

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Instructions:

In a small bowl stir together cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom until well combined. Store in an airtight container

Creates 1/4 cup of spice.

The recipe for the cookies and the icing came from Better Homes and Gardens | Best Cookies Special Issue. It was out around Christmas time, and is full of delicious looking cookie recipes!

Thanks for coming by to check out this recipe! Have a great weekend!
-Alexandria