The weather this week has been cool and crisp.  I drove through my neighborhood this morning and all of the trees that line an adjoining street had blazing yellow leaves.

This weather inspires me to wrap my neck in a scarf and my legs in tall boots.  It inspires me to bake things with apples and pumpkin, ridden with cinnamon and sweetness.  These cookies are sweet and chewy.  They smell and taste amazing.  They’re like a culinary hug.

Bake these up, put them on a plate, and share them with the people you love.

Caramel Apple Cookies

Recipe adapted from Hey What’s For Dinner Mom?

Makes about 30 medium sized cookies

You will need:

1 c. Crisco

1 c. light brown sugar, tightly packed

1 c. sugar

2 T. apple cider

1 t. apple pie spice

2 eggs

1 T. vanilla

2 and 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

Caramel ice cream topping

1. In a large bowl, beat Crisco and sugars together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy — about 2 minutes.

2. Add in apple cider, apple pie spice, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.

4. Slowly add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture, until no flour remains.

5. Place dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a log.  Wrap the dough completely and chill in the fridge for at least an hour (you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days).

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

7. Form cookies by the heaping tablespoon, make an opening with your fingers, add a little caramel ice cream topping, and close the opening by squeezing the dough back together (some caramel may ooze out — this is totally okay and delicious).

8. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes.  Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then remove parchment paper from baking sheet and let cookies cool on paper on the counter top.

Cookies will keep, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.