Description
Delight in the cozy flavors of autumn with these Apple Cider Whoopie Pie Cookies filled with a luscious homemade caramel filling. Soft apple cider-infused cookies spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg are perfectly sandwiched together with a rich, creamy caramel, creating a delightful treat that balances warm spices and sweet, buttery caramel perfectly.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Filling Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the cookies evenly.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. This will evenly distribute the spices and leavening agent throughout the cookie dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar together until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and well combined, which adds air to your cookies.
- Add Eggs and Cider: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the apple cider and vanilla extract until all wet ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet batter, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Scoop Dough: Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded balls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, spacing them evenly to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are set but still soft.
- Make Caramel Filling: While the cookies bake, melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and heavy cream, then bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil gently for 3 to 5 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, then stir in vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool slightly to thicken further before using.
- Assemble: Once the cookies have cooled completely, spread a generous spoonful of the caramel filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently sandwich it with another cookie. Press lightly to spread the caramel evenly.
Notes
- Using fresh apple cider is key for authentic apple flavor; avoid apple juice as it is more concentrated and sweeter.
- Make sure the butter for the cookies is at room temperature for proper creaming with the sugar.
- Allow cookies and caramel filling to cool completely before assembling to prevent melting and slipping.
- Store assembled whoopie pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Can be frozen unfilled for up to 3 months; thaw and fill with caramel before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 whoopie pie
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: apple cider cookies, whoopie pies, caramel filling, autumn dessert, spiced cookies
