Apple Cider Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles

A seasonal fall twist on a traditional favorite, the apple cider caramel adds a fun touch of sweetness to the tangy and chewy snickerdoodle cookies.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Chilling Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 30 cookies

Calories 171kcal

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the cider on high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, until reduced into about half a cup of dark syrup. Meanwhile, line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving the parchment hanging over the edges.
Turn off the heat, and stir in the butter, sugars and cream. The heat over medium low, stirring frequently until the temperature reaches 245F on an instant thermometer.
Pour the caramel into the prepared baking pan and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours until set. Then refrigerate for one hour so the caramel is hard enough to work with. Remove and cut off 1 tsp sized pieces and roll into balls.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until combined. Then add in the eggs and continue mixing.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add to the mixing bowl in three stages, mixing thoroughly on low each time until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for half and hour.
Meanwhile. preheat the oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with silicone or parchment paper. Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar in a small bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Once the dough is chilled, scoop out 1 Tbsp sized pieces and break each in half. Press each half into a round disk. Then wrap two disks around a ball of caramel, and roll in your hands until it is a smooth sphere, about 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Roll the balls thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar, and place on the baking sheets three inches apart. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. The cookies will puff up and then flatten out.
Remove from the oven and rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack until cooled through. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to two months.

These will spread a lot, so leave lots of space! I put six on each cookie sheet.
You will have leftover cinnamon sugar. If you want to save the cinnamon sugar for later, spoon it onto the cookie dough balls over a plate, instead of submerging them in it. Then add the cinnamon sugar to a shaker jar or old spice container.
You will also have leftover caramel at the soft ball stage. If you want to make harder caramels to eat or share, reheat the caramel with 1/4 cup of water and cook until it reaches 252F. Then let rest and chill as explained above. Top with cinnamon or sea salt.