Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup/120ml neutral oil
- ¾ cup/155g light brown sugar
- ¼ cup/50g granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup/77ml unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp/5ml vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups/300g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp/5g baking soda
- ½ tsp/3g salt
- ½ tsp/1g ground cinnamon
- 1-2 medium/225g apples peeled and chopped (1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup/120ml vegan salted caramel chilled
Method
- Scoop chilled caramel into 18 - 1 tsp/5ml amounts of caramel and place on parchment in the freezer to solidify.
- Peel and chop the apples into small (½”/12mm) chunks.
- In a large bowl, combine oil, sugars, vanilla, and apple sauce. Use a hand mixer to beat together on low speed for 2 minutes until well emulsified.
- Stir in the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda until completely incorporated. Mixture should be very thick, but still soft.
- Fold in the chopped apples.
- Cover and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190C. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop 2 tbsp/30ml amounts of dough. Roll into balls and press a deep well in each one. Place a dollop of caramel inside and close the dough around it. The caramel and dough will soften quickly, for best results, work with half the ingredients at a time and keep everything else as cold as possible.
- Place on lined baking sheets with 2-3” between them.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until just golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack. Cookies will puff up more in the oven and collapse slightly as they cool.
- Drizzle with additional caramel and flaky sea salt. Best the same day.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days – better stored without the additional caramel drizzle. Cookies will soften more as they sit.
Notes
Oil choice: Any neutral oil will work in this recipe like canola, sunflower, or vegetable. Coconut oil should not be used as it will react with the applesauce and resolidify, creating uneven pockets of moisture.
Apple sauce: This is both the binding agent and some of the liquid, much as eggs would be. The pectin in apples acts as the binding agent to provide structure.
Apples: For best results, use a tart variety apple like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or McIntosh. These will hold together best without disintegrating during baking and balance the sweetness of the caramel.
Shaping: If caramel leaks out during baking, use a large round cookie cutter to bring the edges in a circular motion when fresh out of the oven and still soft.