Fall Copycat Crumbl Caramel Apple Cookie Recipe
A decadent fall treat that isn’t pie. The Crumbl caramel apple cookie cracked the code on fall flavor with an apple pie spice base, rich cream cheese frosting, crisp granny smith apples, flaky streusel topping, and a caramel drizzle. This copycat recipe nails the viral seasonal favorite without the $5 price tag. And the best part is you can have the cookie that tastes like a caramel apple pie in cookie form anytime you want without having to stalk the rotating Crumbl menu before they sell out. Full recipe card below 😉
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What is the Crumbl caramel apple cookie?
If you have not had the pleasure of the indulgent Crumbl cookies in the pink box, let me explain. Crumbl is an open kitchen franchise cookie shop that started in Logan Utah in 2017. They specialize in unique, bakery-style cookies offered on a rotating basis. This has created a cult like following that keeps customers voting for cookie favorites to appear more frequently on the Crumbl menu or as a secret menu option on the Crumbl app.
The caramel apple Crumbl cookie is a special offering full of fall flavors usually appearing in September, October, and November. It is a warm cinnamon apple cookie with cream cheese frosting, fresh apple chunks, a drizzle of caramel, and a house-made streusel on top of the cookies.
Crumbl Cookie Basic Ingredients
- Butter – Unsalted butter is the only option. This is the primary fat content in the cookie and the frosting. It contributes to the overall structure and taste. Do not substitute for margarine. They are not the same. Margarine with make flat cookies and the frosting will separate. Use room temperature butter and do not melt it.
- Brown Sugar – Brown sugar keeps the cookie soft and chewy because of the molasses. It also adds more of those warm fall flavors that pair perfectly with apple and cinnamon. Don’t swap all brown for all white or vice versa. The ratio matters. Dark brown sugar or light brown sugar will work here.
- White Sugar – Granulated sugar helps the edges crisp up slightly and balances the moisture. The ratio of sugar to the other ingredients will determine the structure of your cookie. This is why I do not recommend substituting sugar with apple sauce. Sugar plays a much bigger role than just calories.
- Eggs – This is your binder for all the wet ingredients and dry ingredients. Not only will it hold everything together, but it will also add moisture to the cookies due to the high water content in the egg whites.
- Vanilla – When baking, you should always use pure vanilla extract. It adds an extra sweetness that combines with the other ingredients to create a complex flavor. I have used both pure vanilla and imitation vanilla and you can definitely tell the difference. If you can, I highly recommend using pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- Flour – Stick to all purpose flour here. Other types of flour will yield a different cookie texture and possibly taste. This is your structure. Too much and the cookie is dry and too little and they spread out into a puddle. Spoon it in and level it off, don’t pack it down or mound it.
- Baking Powder – Do you really need this? YES! Baking powder is usually a very small ingredient but a very important ingredient. The baking powder reacts with the moistened batter and a chemical reaction takes place producing carbon dioxide. This puffs up the cookie and creates thicker, soft cookies.
- Baking Soda – Although a small amount, baking soda reacts with the acidic brown sugar and produces carbon dioxide which creates softer and thicker cookies.
- Cornstarch – If you love soft cookies, cornstarch is the secret! It creates a slightly thicker cookie with a soft and chewy consistency.
- Salt – A little bit of salt helps balance out all the sweetness from the sugars in cookie dough. A little bit goes a long way, and whatever you do, DO NOT measure it over your bowl! No one wants to throw away cookie dough.
- Apple Pie Spice – This simple seasoning is what gives these cookies the signature apple spice flavor and keeps them from just tasting like a snickerdoodle.
- Granny Smith Apples – A green apple is a key ingredient and adds the signature color. These tart apples are the perfect balance to the sweetness in the cookie and the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioners sugar. This is a vital ingredient to provide structure to the cream cheese frosting and sweetness.
- Cream Cheese – We wouldn’t have cream cheese frosting without the cream cheese! Any brand will do, just make sure it’s room temperature.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy cream is the key ingredient to making a fluffy creamy frosting and gives it a full rich taste. I have made this particular frosting with 2% milk as well. The difference is the yield and taste. Milk doesn’t whip up the same way and makes less frosting. Because it is thinner it also makes a more runny frosting that is difficult to work with.
- Caramel Sauce – To make these cookies taste like caramel apples, they are drizzled with caramel sauce. Store bought or homemade both work here. For one less step, I used store bought.
Mixing
For best results, I recommend using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for all three steps of mixing. You can also use an electric hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Tips for Making the Best Cookie
The finished cookies not only depend on the recipe itself and specific ingredients, but it also depends on some additional factors that are often overlooked if you are not a frequent baker.
- Baking time – Ovens are different and baking times will always vary. I provide a suggested baking time, but cookies should always be watched closely while baking. I prefer soft and chewy cookies and never want them to be over done or crunchy. They can always cook for extra time but they cannot bake less.
- The perfect cookie scoop – Making cookies the same size is not just for folks like me with OCD. It also makes baking time and recipe yield more consistent and can speed up the prep process. For these cookies I prefer a little smaller cookie since they are very rich!
- Cookie Sheet Prep – I always line my baking sheets with cookie sheet mats. This helps bake your cookies more evenly and keep your pans clean. My baking mats have circles outlined for cookies giving me perfect spacing every time. The best part is they are reusable. If you do not have a baking mat, you can use parchment paper instead.
- Cooling – This one is especially important when making frosted cookies. Hot cookies and frosting don’t mix. The cream cheese frosting will melt into the cookie and become a sloppy mess. Trust me, dont skip this part. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 15 minutes before moving them to a wire rack or cooling rack. Cookies should cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before frosting.
- Frosting – To make these look like a true copycat version of the Crumbl cookies, you will need a piping bag with a large round tip. If you do not have a piping bag you can use a quart sized Ziplock bag. Just fill the bag with the frosting, zip closed, and snip off a corner with scissors. The larger the corner you cut the bigger the hole for the frosting to come out. Even though I have piping bags, I actually prefer the Ziplock method.
- Shaping the Cookies – I have made these many times and surprisingly this does matter. After scooping out the dough, roll the dough in the palm of your hands to make it smooth. Then bake the cookie dough balls. Let them cool for 1-2 minutes and gently press the down with the bottom of a glass. This makes a flatter surface for frosting. DO NOT smash them before baking. This makes the cookies spread out too far and they become thin and crunchy rather than thick and chewy.
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Fall Copycat Crumbl Caramel Apple Cookie Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Skip the line and the markup. These copycat Crumbl caramel apple cookies are a fall favorite with cinnamon apple flavor, sweet caramel, thick frosting, crunchy streusel and fresh green apples. Finally a decadent fall dessert that isn’t pie. This copycat recipe nails the viral seasonal favorite without a dozen cookies feeling like a lifestyle splurge. The cookie that tastes like a caramel apple pie in cookie form anytime you want without having to stalk the Crumbl app before they sell out.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar packed
- 1 egg
- 3/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 tsp Apple Pie Spice
- 1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1 Granny Smith Apple diced
- 1 Lemon Wedge juice from
- Caramel Sauce store bought or homemade
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream cold
- 1 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Apple Crumble Streusel
- 2 1/4 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter cold
- 1/8 tsp Apple Pie Seasoning
- 1/8 cup Flour
- pinch of Salt
Instructions
Cookie Dough Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla, and apple pie seasoning and mix again on low speed only until combined.
- Combine flour mixture with wet ingredients one cup at a time, mixing on medium speed until combined. Do not over mix.
- Once all ingredients are mixed the cookie dough will be a bit dry and flaky. Add the 1 tablespoon of milk and mix once more just until combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Scoop cookie dough onto a large prepared baking sheet with a cookie scoop. Gently roll the cookie dough balls into a smooth ball with the palm of your hand and return to the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes at 350. I cook mine for 9 minutes for softer, chewy cookies. Cooking times will vary so keep a close eye on them.
- While the cookies bake, dice a green apple into small chunks and place them in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Soak for a few minutes and transfer to a paper towel to dry off. This will keep them from browning. Set aside.
- Once cookies are done baking, cool for two minutes. Then use the flat bottom of a glass to gently press them down creating a slightly flatter surface. Cool on the baking sheet for another 13 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
- Cool cookies for a minimum of 30 minutes before frosting.
Apple Crumble Streusel Instructions
- Add cold butter, brown sugar, apple pie seasoning, flour, and salt to a small mixing bowl.
- Mix on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until combined and crumbly. This will look like it isn’t working, but trust the process, it will come together.
- Set aside for topping the cookies.
Frosting Instructions
- Using room temperature butter and cream cheese, cream the two ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl using a paddle attachment. Cream just until smooth.
- Add in powdered sugar, cold heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and fluffy.
- Cool cookies at least 30 minutes before frosting.
- Spoon the frosting into a piping bag or a quart size Ziplock bag to apply frosting generously to cookies.
- I find that starting on the outside rim of the cookies and working my way in circularly is easiest.
- Once cookies are frosted, add a few apple chunks, sprinkle streusel, and a drizzle of caramel sauce to the top.
Notes
- Top with caramel sauce right before serving to prevent soggy cookies.
- Only mix the ingredients until they are combined to prevent overmixing.
- Cooking times will vary but I recommend baking these as softer cookies.
- I do not recommend freezing baked cookies. For a make a head option, make cookie dough in advance and freeze dough balls for up to 3 months in freezer containers. Icing should be made fresh.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cool Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
More Cookie Recipes to Try
- Copycat Crumbl Pink Sugar Cookies
- Halloween Ghost S’more Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Without Butter
More Copycat Recipes to Try
- Copycat Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe
- Copycat Red Lobster Cajun Alfredo Chicken Pasta
- Starbucks Copycat Chocolate Chip Mocha Frappuccino
- Copycat Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dip Recipe
Storage
If you have leftover caramel apple cookies, and that is a big if, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up 5 days. To keep them from getting soggy, drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving. I took these to a Labor Day BBQ last weekend and there were none left. People were actually hiding some to make sure they got one, haha!
When to Make Caramel Apple Cookies
These tasty treats are the perfect fall cookie, Halloween goodie, or Thanksgiving dessert that isn’t pecan pie. They have the most amazing flavor, perfect for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, or anytime you are craving apple pie or caramel apples! And the best part is you don’t have to wait for the Crumbl menu seasonal releases. Trust me, even my husband who is a “chocolate only” kind of guy LOVES these cookies!
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