Carmel Apple Cider Cookies

I recently found these on Pinterest and was dying to make them! Although, they were a little more difficult than I was anticipating, the extra time it took to make these as opposed to your typical homemade cookie was well worth it!
I would recommend always serving these hot!

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon 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 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups all purpose flour

1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

 

Directions:

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

With your mixer 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.

Refridgerate for about an hour (This is very important step because without it the dough is too soft to use for later steps.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment (Also very important).

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.) If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they'll pop right off.

This recipe makes around 4 dozen cookies! Since we couldn't eat them all at once I heat them up for about 10 seconds in the microwave before eating one!