Skip to Content

Caramel-Stuffed Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

This post is sponsored in conjunction with AppleWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

These apple butter snickerdoodles are soft and coated in cinnamon, and they have a sweet surprise in the middle—a gooey caramel center!

A plate of caramel-stuffed apple butter snickerdoodles

It’s Day 7, the final day, of AppleWeek! Have you checked out the giveaway prizes and entered to win yet? If not, head over to Monday’s post to read about the prize packs from our generous sponsors and fill out the entry form.

For my final recipe, I'm sharing a favorite cookie recipe: delicious apple butter snickerdoodles with a sweet surprise—a goey caramel center.

A scoop of apple butter snickerdoodle cookie dough with a caramel candy center

Like the traditional version, these apple butter snickerdoodles are light and soft, thanks to the cream of tartar. That's what gives snickerdoodles their signature pillowy texture. They are also coated in cinnamon-sugar before baking.

These cookies get their apple flavor from apple butter. Apple butter (or any other fruit butter) is a fruit paste, thicker than applesauce, with a more intense fruit flavor because nearly all of the water is cooked out.

Baked caramel-stuffed apple butter snickerdoodles cooling on a wire rack

This dough is super soft and sticky, and needs frequent rests in the freezer to make it easier to work with. It also helps to slightly dampen your hands between rolling balls of dough. Resist the urge to add more flour, because that will make the cookies much denser.

Make sure you fully cover the caramel in the cookie dough, because if any is sticking out once the cookies go into oven, it will ooze out of the cookie onto the baking mat.

Half of a caramel-stuffed apple butter snickerdoodle with the caramel center oozing out

Half of a caramel-stuffed apple butter snickerdoodle with the caramel center oozing out

Caramel-Stuffed Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 3 minutes

These apple butter snickerdoodles are soft and coated in cinnamon, and they have a sweet surprise in the middle—a gooey caramel center! Adapted from Baked by Rachel.

Ingredients

for the cookie dough:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup apple butter
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 12 soft caramel candies, cut in half

for the cinnamon sugar coating:

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, with the beater attachment. 
  2. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions, then the vanilla and apple butter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the cookie dough and mix in on low speed; then add another third and mix in on low speed, then add the final third and mix just until combined. 
  4. Place the cookie dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. 
  6. Use a medium cookie scoop to portions of dough. Press one half of a caramel candy into the center. With slightly damp hands, roll into a ball and completely cover the caramel candy, then drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Gently toss to lightly coat all sides. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. 
  7. Once the baking sheet is full, place it in the freezer for about 1 to 2 minutes to firm up the cookie dough, and then place it in the oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden.
  8. Allow cookies to rest on the pan for 1-2 minutes before transferring with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Store in an airtight container. 
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Saturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 68mgCarbohydrates: 33gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g

Did you love this recipe?

Leave a star rating below and share it on social media!

Tag @TheRedheadBaker on Instagram and hashtag it #TheRedheadBaker.

More AppleWeek Recipes:

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Wendy Klik

Tuesday 2nd of October 2018

Those are amazing!!

Val - Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids

Saturday 29th of September 2018

The snickerdoodle itself sound delicious and then the added caramel in the middle - yum!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe