Spoiler Alert! These cookies are not good for your body, but they are good for the soul. 🙂 Let me just say this again: Caramel. Apple. Pecan. Pie. Cookies. Any of those words alone make me happy, but put them all together and…… mmm, there are no words. Everyone needs a little cheat treat on a regular basis or you will just go crazy, at least that’s my philosophy. 🙂 For us, Sunday is our baking night. I plan all week what I’m going to bake on Sunday, and then we just kind of go crazy until our stomachs hurt, hate ourselves on Monday, and then we are back to planning the next treat night by Tuesday. That’s how we roll. So let me show you how I made these little circles of bliss.
You can make your own pie crust if you feel like going all out, but I just bought refrigerated pie crusts and went from there. I do recommend going to the trouble of making the crock pot apples for the filling. It’s super easy, you just have to plan ahead. Peel and chop your apples and put in a crock pot. Add a little brown sugar and lemon zest and juice and let it do it’s magic. 4-5 hours later, give it a stir and you have a wonderfully aromatic chunky apple sauce that could be eaten just as is or over ice cream even. But hold your horses and save it for the cookies. I have even made this the day before and stored in the fridge overnight to save time.
Ok, now you have your filling. The rest is easy. Roll out one of the pie crusts (package comes with two) a little thinner than it already is. Spread the apples evenly and not too thick over the entire surface of the crust (you may not need all the apples, just enjoy them later). Spread chopped pecans on next, and then pour caramel on top of that.
Next, roll out the other crust the same size as the first and lay on top of the apple mixture. I think a small mouth jar works the best to cut these out because you want it to kind of press down the sides a little while it cuts. It won’t completely seal the sides, but I didn’t worry too much about that. Way too much time to do that.
Now carefully scoop up each cookie and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I promise you will want it lined because they ooze a little and that would be no fun to clean off the pan later.
I got 21 out of mine. I know, weird number. Anyway, don’t worry about wasting all the scraps, because you don’t have to! I piled them all up in a little ramekin that I sprayed really good and threw it in the oven with the cookies. This was my special treat just for me. 🙂 It has to bake a little longer than the cookies, so just eye ball it.
While they are baking, mix up your cinnamon glaze. When they are done and slightly cooled put a small scoop on top of each cookie, like a teaspoon or so, and let it melt over the cookie. Let them cool for a while longer and then try not to each the whole batch at once. 🙂
Now, I must say not all pie crusts are created equal. I have made them when the crust comes out flaky and more firm, which I like. I have had make them with crust that is super soft which is still yummy, but they get a little squishy. Maybe you just have to bake that brand a little longer. I recommend getting the name brand instead of the store brand, but that’s just me.
- 2-3 pounds apples
- 2 T brown sugar
- juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- pinch of salt
- 1 package refrigerated pie crusts
- 1 T flour
- 1/2 C chopped pecans
- 5 oz caramels
- 1 T milk
- 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 1/2 t cinnamon
- pinch of all spice
- 1/4 t salt
- 1-2 T milk
- Place the chopped and peeled apples in a crock pot on low in the morning or about 7-8 hours ahead of time. Also put in brown sugar and lemon juice and zest. Allow to cook and soften. They are soft enough when you can stir the apples and they turn to a chunky sauce.
- When filling is done, roll out one of the pie crusts. Spread apple sauce evenly on pie crust. Chop pecans and spread on top of apple sauce.
- Melt the caramel and milk in a small sauce pan until runny. Pour over the chopped pecans.
- Roll out the other pie crust and lay it on top of the first one.
- Use a small mouth mason jar, dipped in flour, to cut out the cookies and transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes until cookies are lightly browned.
- Allow to cool slightly while making the glaze.
- For the glaze, add powdered sugar, spices, and milk in a bowl and mix to a thick, but still runny consistency. Drop a small scoop on top of each cookies and allow it to run over the edges. Let them cool for about 20-30 minutes more, then enjoy!
- I tried different pie crusts, but the name brand turned out best, nice and flaky. If the dough seems really soft, bake longer.
- Sorry, no Macros on these. Just enjoy a cheat treat!!
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