Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Dessert

Every family dinner deserves a decadent ending like this Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Dessert. A finale so grand, you just might have requests for second’s. I know it’s a busy holiday week, but I’m popping in here today to share this merry little recipe. I’ve been giving a lot of thought about simple nibbles and desserts to make while everyone is home for Thanksgiving week. And this fun recipe keeps coming to mind. I used to make this dessert often when my gals were little. It was quite popular about 20 years ago and I can truly say, it’s still a popular dessert in my house. And what’s not to love? It’s a giant sugar cookie smeared with maple infused cream cheese, layered with fresh, seasonal apple slices and then topped with homemade caramel sauce and crumbled spice cookies! Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Dessert is a festive dessert that delights palates and fills food hearts with pure joy. This festive dessert is one of those recipes that is fun to prepare with all the “littles” in your life, as well as the “big kids”. It includes several steps which makes it an entertaining recipe to make while everyone is standing around in the kitchen waiting for something delicious to eat. I like to make the cookie dough, and then I snag someone to roll out the cookie crust. I enlist another person to stir the cream cheese mixture and then, whoever wanders into the kitchen gets a chance to help decorate the cookie with the apples. And all the kids, big and small, help drizzle the caramel sauce and sprinkle on the crumbled cookies. Just the thought of smiling faces, holiday music in the background, and the sweet scents of this festive dessert floating through the house, makes my heart so happy. Wishing you the most delicious holiday season! Peace and Love, Karista Print Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Dessert Rate this recipe 123451 ratings Category: Dessert Cuisine: American Author: Karista Bennett Serves 8 A family dinner deserves a decadent dessert. This Caramel Apple Sugar Cookie Dessert is not only fun to serve but it’s truly indulgent to the taste buds. A finale so grand, you might have requests for seconds. Ingredients 1 package sugar cookie mix or your favorite sugar cookie recipe 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature ¼ cup maple syrup 3 large apples, I used Granny Smith and Pink Lady 1 lemon, juiced 1 cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup water ¾ cup heavy cream, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature ½ cup crumbled vanilla, ginger or spice cookies (I used Ginger cookies) Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Prepare the sugar cookie mix according to instructions. Place a piece of parchment on an even surface and roll out the cookie dough into the form of a pizza, about ¼ – ½ thick. You may need to use another piece of parchment to roll out the cookie dough if it sticks to the rolling pin. Gently transfer the parchment with the cookie crust onto a pizza stone or baking sheet. Place the baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven and bake for about 11-15 minutes or according to directions on the package or recipe. When the cookie crust is done, remove from the oven and let it cool. Next, core and slice the apples and then place them in a bowl with enough water to cover them. Add the lemon juice and toss the apples in the lemon water to keep them from browning. Let them sit while you prepare the cream cheese mixture and caramel topping. To prepare the cream cheese mixture, add the room temperature cream cheese to an electric mixer and start mixing. While mixing the cream cheese, add the maple syrup. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside. To make the caramel sauce, add 1 cup of granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon salt to a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in 1/3 cup water, just enough to moisten the sugar. Continue to stir the sugar over medium heat until it’s melted and turns a deep golden brown. Do not leave the sauce pan unattended. Once the liquid has turned golden brown, remove it from the heat and whisk in the room temperature heavy cream and vanilla. If the heavy cream seizes, just place it back over low heat and continue to whisk until it comes together. This will help the liquid to combine and emulsify. Once the caramel sauce cools a bit, it will thicken. This caramel sauce is best used at room temperature or slightly warm. It can be refrigerated for up to one week. To assemble the dessert pizza, place the cookie crust on a large platter or pizza stone and then spread the cream cheese mixture over the cookie crust. Drain the apples and pat dry with a paper towel and layer them onto the cream cheese. Drizzle the apples with caramel sauce and then garnish with the crumbled cookies. Serve immediately. Recipe Management Powered by Zip Recipes Plugin 5.0 https://karistabennett.com/2019/11/25/caramel-apple-sugar-cookie-dessert/