Caramel Apple Cookies

I just pulled these cookies out of the oven and they smell delicious!  I originally found the recipe on Pinterest earlier this year and had been waiting for fall time to make it.  Since I've made my own caramel in the past I almost used that instead of the pre-packaged squares; but decided against it since I was already doing other alterations to the recipe.

Making them dairy free was pretty much impossible since caramel is basically sugar and heavy cream, so I didn't modify them that way. Instead I decided to make them gluten free so that everybody at work could eat them.  Here is the recipe I used (with my modifications)

Caramel Apple Cookies (originally found here)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 box (10 packets) Instant Apple Cider (not sugar free)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see how to make your own here)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups flour (I used 1.5 cups Brown Rice Flour & 1.5 cups Soy Flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (only necessary with the GF flour)
• 1 Bag Kraft Caramels

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, line cookie sheets with parchment paper (this is a must, I'll explain in a bit)
2. Cream the butter, sugar, salt & apple cider packets
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract
4. Mix in the baking soda and baking powder
5. Add the flour and mix until combined well
6. Use a cookie scoop (mine is a smaller ice cream scoop size) and place a ball of batter in your hand. 
7. Flatten and place a caramel inside then wrap the edges until you have a nice little caramel wrapped ball
8. Place two inches apart on cookie sheets
9. Bake 12-14 minutes or until nicely golden brown
10. Slide the parchment paper off of the baking sheet and onto the counter.  This is why you use parchment paper.  I tried to just take them immediately onto the cooling rack and caramel started oozing out the bottom.
11. When they are slightly cooled, remove from parchment paper and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

I think I might have baked them a bit too long as they are a little hard now that they have cooled. I also really like soft and gooey cookies so its just my preference.

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