Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

Hello friends,

So woah did it get chilly. Like really chilly.

Like oh-my-god-how-is-it-only-35-degrees chilly. Talk about waking me up this morning. All I had to do was step outside and I was bright eyed and shivering my butt all the way to work.

But I have a way to remedy this.

Yes, I may have an issue with turning to desserts when I'm stressed but in case you didn't already know...

STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backwards.

So...I didn't come up with the idea. Blame Fate.

Or thank her really for directing me to these Caramel Stuffed Cider Cookies.

Also, last week I told McCormick to stuff it because I learned how to make Homemade Apple and Pumpkin Pie Spices.

This week: Starbucks gets to stuff it. Because I now have a Caramel Apple Spice, in cookie form.

Delicious, warm, chewy, portable, and way cheaper than that $4 cup of cider I always feel guilty buying.

A few hints or helpful thoughts for this recipe: chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before trying to wrap it around the caramels. It is seriously too sticky when you first make it.

Also: do NOT lick you fingers or you will pucker in sad regret.

One last note: some of your cookies may "bleed" caramel (ew) so I would suggest letting them sit on just the parchment paper (slide it off the pan) for a few minutes until the caramel cools.

But oh man, it's like, if there was ever a Caramel Apple Cider Twix Bar....

Dude. Twix: Get on that. Right now. Oreos already upped the ante with those crazy Candy Corn Oreos.

Or I will just have to create it myself :O

Happy Baking and Stay Cozy!

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies  
Via SixSistersStuff

1 cup butter, almost melted
1 cup sugar
1 whole box (10 packets) Alpine Spice Cider Mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1 bag Kraft Caramels

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl beat butter, sugar and all the Cider Mix packets until well incorporated and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and salt.
3. Beat in baking soda and baking powder, then mix in flour until dough comes together. Let dough firm up in fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of dough and use your thumb to create an indent in the center. Quickly place caramel in the center and roll dough over it, covering the candy completely. Place each 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet
5. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Let cool on parchment paper for 5 minutes before twisting and then removing to wire rack.

Makes 16-18 large cookies

Caramel Apple Bars

Friends,

I come before you today exhausted, disillusioned, and overall grumpy.

Why you may ask? Oh, nothing major, just the first Presidential Debate last night.

Can I tell you how tired I am of all of this? I will not mention who I plan to vote for, or what I think of each of the candidates, but I will tell you that I am so freaking tired of this hot mess.

I am tired of the hatred, the fear mongering, the pandering: all of it. No matter where I go, it's on the TV, the radio, in classrooms; I can't get away from it

If you are like me, and so absolutely tired of this overwhelmingly negative ordeal, I have the perfect prescription to brighten your mood.

Turn off the TV, the radio, close the blinds if you have to...tune it all out

Instead, listen to the chopping of apples, smell the scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice fill your kitchen; envision a warm, gooey apple crumble bar, drizzled with caramel sauce.

Taste; embrace the coziness and drift off into bliss.

Feel better? I know I do.

I'm not advocating to just avoid the whole election; it's an important part of our lives and deserves some of your time. But don't let it get you down.

Don't let it break up friendships, or families. Don't let it separate us as a nation. We are stronger than party politics. Maybe we just all need to make some of these Apple Bars and share them with everyone around us. Apples are American after all.

Sorry, I don't mean to preach. I just really really love these Apple Bars and they helped me through some frustrating moments this week. If you are also in need of a pick me up, these are the way to go.

Remember to enjoy the simple things in life.

Happy Baking My Friends,

Caramel Apple Pie Bars Lazily Adapted from TwoPeasandTheirPod

 

for the filling:

2 1/2 cups peeled, diced Granny Smith Apples
1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of allspice

for the crust:

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into slices
1/2 egg, slightly beaten (2 tbsp of egg)
1/4 tsp vanilla

caramel sauce for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a square 8x8 pan with cooking spray or butter.

2. For the filling: Place diced apples in a large bowl and toss gently with lemon juice. In a medium bowl combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Pour over apples and toss gently, making sure apples are well coated in mixture. Set aside while you make the crust.

3. For the crust/crumb topping: combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers, until the mixture is crumbly and no big lumps of butter remain.

4. Mix the egg and vanilla together and stir into flour mixture. The mixture will still be crumbly: that is ok. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.

5. Spread apple topping mixture evenly over dough. Drizzle with about 1/3 cup caramel sauce (I used storebought). Then top with remaining crumbly mixture, spreading evenly.

6. Bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes or until top becomes golden brown. Let cool in pan completely before cutting into bars, drizzling with more caramel sauce, and serve.

Hello October! Fall Recipes and DIY Spices

Happy October Everyone!

I still can't believe it's here. Finally I have an excuse to whip up insane amounts of recipes filled with apples, pumpkins, cider and the like.

And you know what else I learned? You can make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Pie Spice.

Take that McCormick. :P

I was perusing my Google Reader and saw Beth at Budget Bytes do a DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice, and it inspired me to share with you all a list of Fabulous Fall links for Awesomely Autumn recipes (I have mentioned I love alliterations, right?)

Amazing Apple Recipes:

Apple Cider Muffins
Apple Cider Smoothie
Apple Crumble Pie
Apple Pie Muffins
Apple Pie Oatmeal
Classic Apple Cider Doughnuts
Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Perfectly Pumpkin Recipes:

Black Bottom Maple Pumpkin Pie
Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
Chai Pumpkin Spice Thumbprint Cookies
DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Scrub 
Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Pumpkin Pie Granola
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

DIY Spices

Pumpkin Pie Spice
Apple Pie Spice

There's more where that came from, but then what would I share with you on the blog for the rest of the month? A homemade, from scratch, delicious month of October awaits you.

Pull up a chair and stay awhile; things are going to get cozy.

Happy Baking!

~Jess

21st Birthday, Apple Picking, and Apple Muffins

Hello all!

I bet you all thought I fell off the deep end for awhile there: well I did. Midterms and papers have taken me away from my wonderful little blog, but I am back with fun photos and a simple delicious muffin recipe that is totally in season.

So, first things first, it was my birthday last weekend! The big 21, which I celebrated with my lovely boyfriend up in Chester NJ apple/pumpkin picking and enjoying the wonderful Autumn weather that has finally set in. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene took away a lot of the pumpkins this year, and apparently many of the apples as well. But it didn't stop us from finding a few stragglers on the very tops of the trees...

...and enjoying some much anticipated apple cider, cider dogs and cider donuts (can you tell we like cider?).

We spent the rest of the day waltzing around Chester, enjoying some birthday cake balls from a cute little shop called SweetSpot Bakery. I was so glad that they let me take some photos of all their little sweet treats. If you live around that area, be sure to check them out: their cake balls are fabulous. Seriously, the banana cake is to die for. I should have bought all of them right then and there actually.

It was quite the relaxing weekend, a much needed relief to all of the studying and writing and cramming of the last few weeks. I also tested out this apple muffin recipe via Tracey's Culinary Adventures and Baking and Boys! I must tell you; make as many of these as you have apples becasue they go quick. I brought them with me to work one morning and they were subsequently inhaled by all of my fellow college students, and when I got home my roommates had polished off the ones I left in the kitchen!

Hope you enjoy the recipe! I am in a muffin sort of mood as of late, so expect another post (hopefully on s'mores muffins!) in the near future! Happy Baking!

Apple Muffins
Via Baking and Boys!/Tracey's Culinary Adventures (makes 12-16 standard muffins)

1/2 cup whole milk +1/2 cup apple cider
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1  3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into small dice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease one 12-cup muffin pan.

2. Combine dry ingredients (including sugar) in large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in separate medium bowl.

3. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

4. Pour into greased muffin cups, each about 2/3 cup full. Sprinkle streusel over top just before baking.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until toothpick comes outs clean.

Streusel:

1/2 cup  all-purpose flour
1 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 tbsp butter, melted

1. Stir the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl. 

2. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly. More flour may be needed.