Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Caramel Apples

Lately my home has been filled with the scent of warm vanilla and cooked sugar. I’ve been making every incarnation of caramel I can think of. I can’t help it. It’s something I love to enjoy during the fall months. I’ve been leaving a trail of crumpled wax paper squares everywhere I go. Why do I even bother wrapping homemade caramels, honestly?!

This is a caramel recipe that I’ve been dying to share. It makes the glossiest, most perfect caramel apples I’ve ever seen! And, as if that weren’t enough to soothe a fierce sweet tooth, I’ve added a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough.

I regret nothing.

Wrapping the caramel apple in cookie dough is easy. Just make sure the caramel is set before you start. I chose to leave part of the caramel exposed, but you could certainly wrap the entire apple in cookie dough.

Begin by rolling the cookie dough between sheets of wax paper. Chill the dough then cut  into strips. To get a clean line when cutting, don’t drag your knife through the dough – the chips will drag and make a very ragged edge. Instead, cut strait down with a sharp knife. This will cut through the chocolate chips and make a more precise edge.

Next, place the dough onto the caramel apple and press it on firmly. The dough will spread around the apple as you press. Tuck the excess dough under the apple.

Serve in cute cupcake papers. Refrigerate leftovers – that’s it!

Is it just me, or do these guys kinda look like they’re wearing leopard print?

Even if you’re not starry-eyed over the cookie dough coating, I hope you’ll try the caramel recipe for covering apples. It’s one of the tastiest I’ve tried!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough-Covered Caramel Apples

[click for printable version]

Source: SprinkleBakes/ Vintage church fundraiser cookbook

Yield: 12-15 apples

Prep: 45 minutes, total 2 hours

Caramel apples

12 small apples

Ice pop sticks or Birchware forks (shown)

1 can/ 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk, these are sometimes confused)

2/3 cup/ 148g. heavy whipping cream

1 cup/ 310g. light corn syrup

1 cup/ 204g. dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1 cup/ 210g. granulated sugar

1/2 cup/ 113g. unsalted butter

1 tsp./ 6g. vanilla extract

Cookie dough

3 cups/ 418g. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp./ 3g salt

1 1/4 cups/ 273g. light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cups/175g granulated sugar

1 cup/ 226g. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/4 tsp./ 7g. vanilla extract

1 cup/ 174g. mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup/ 52g. whole milk

1. Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a work surface, or grease a large jelly roll pan with shortening. Set aside.
2. Clean and dry the apples well.  Remove the apple stems and carefully punch a guide hole for the ice pop sticks with a knife or skewer.  Insert sticks into guide holes. Lift each apple to make sure each can securely be picked up. 
3. For the caramel, stir together the condensed milk and heavy cream in a 4-cup measure with a spout. Combine corn syrup, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large pot. Bring to a bubble over high heat. When mixture boils, add butter. Stir until butter is melted and reduce heat to medium-high. Add milk mixture in a small, steady stream while whisking continually so that the caramel keeps a slight boil. Reduce heat to medium and attach a candy thermometer. Bring to 250F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Wait until bubbling subsides and the caramel has a smooth, glassy surface that is bubble-free. Tilt pan slightly so the caramel pools to one side. Dip apples and place them on parchment. Allow them to set completely, about 1 hour.
4. For the cookie dough, stir together flour, salt, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour in butter and vanilla extract. Mix until a dry dough forms. Add chocolate chips and mix on lowest speed. When chocolate chips are evenly dispersed, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time with machine on low speed. Turn the cookie dough out onto a large sheet of wax paper. Top with a same-sized piece of wax paper and roll dough to 1/4-inch (or as thinly as the chocolate chips will allow). Chill the dough for 20 minutes then cut  into strips. To get a clean line when cutting, don’t drag your knife through the dough – the chips will drag and make a very ragged edge. Instead, cut strait down with a sharp knife. This will cut through the chocolate chips and make a more precise edge.
5. Next, place the dough onto the caramel apple and press it on firmly. The dough will spread around the apple as you press. Tuck the excess dough under the apple. Serve in cute muffin-sized cupcake papers. Refrigerate leftovers.

Note: the cookie dough application is a very forgiving process. If your dough tears or crumbles, simply pick up dough pieces and patch them onto the apple. The apples can be perfectly and seamlessly smoothed with your hands/fingers.