Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 c. softened butter
• 1 c.granulated sugar
• 1/2 t.salt
• 1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10
• packets (I found this in my grocery store near the hot chocolate mixes.)
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 3 c. all purpose flour
• 1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Method:

· Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (You really need the parchment!)

· In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

· cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.

· Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.

· Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.

· Refrigerate for about an hour. 

· When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels.

· Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut.

· Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.

· Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.)

Bruce's Baked Apples

Ingredients
Mix/Stuffing:
1 apple (6 oz./Granny Smith Golden Delicious)
5 tbl. unsalted butter for mix
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 chopped pecans (toast/optional)
3 tbl. old fashioned oats
1 tsp. orange zest
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
6 apples (6 oz. each/Granny Smith Golden Delicious)
Sauce:
1 tbl. unsalted butter
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup maple syrup
Directions
1. One apple, peel, core and dice (cut into ¼ inch pieces)
2. Six apples , cut off small section of blossom end (dispose)
3. Cut ½ inch off top (“Apple Caps” - set aside and reserve)
4. Peel outer layer of apples
5. Core out apples with melon baller and leave ½ inch perimeter outer and bottom areas
6. Melt butter in skillet on medium heat and caramelize tops of apples (approx. 3 minutes)
7. Turn down heat to low and rotate apples, “pile” mix/stuffing in cored apples
8. Add apple cider and maple syrup to skillet for sauce
9. Cover apples with “Apple Caps”
10. Bake at 375 Degrees, rack on middle position, 35 to 40 minutes
11. Spoon with sauce every 10 minutes while baking
12. Test apple with a toothpick until tender
13. Drizzle sauce over apple before serving (if thick add more cider)
14. Remove “Apple Cap” and serve with Vanilla Ice Cream
See America’s Test Kitchen for demonstration:

Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings

Ingredients

* 2 whole Granny Smith Apples
* 2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
* 2 sticks Butter
* 1-½ cup Sugar
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla
* Cinnamon, To Taste
* 1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda

Preparation Instructions

Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.

Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Apple Crisp

6 c. apples - sliced
1 T Lemon Juice
1 T Water
Mix well and place in an 8" square pan

Mix together:
1/3 C. butter
1/2 C. Oats
1/2 C. Flour
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
Mix well, pat on top of apples

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.