Baking: Caramel Apple Cookies

The holidays are fast approaching which means one thing in my kitchen - BAKING!

Baking Pies...Baking Tarts

Baking Cakes...Baking Cookies

Baking...Baking...Baking

I may have a small household but there's always someone - somewhere - who is more than willing to leave their diet behind and "sample" what comes out of the oven. 

Each year there are the staples, the yummy treats that always find their ways back onto my cooling rack. 

Mexican Wedding Kisses...

Frosted Date Cookies...

Candied Yams...

Pumpkin Pie...

Sweet Potato Pie with a Graham Cracker crust...

Oh, and of course my Grandmother's Molasses Cookies (with a non-vegetarian recipe)...but we'll cover that at another point. I do try to "spice" things up each year though with new goodies I have found online, in magazines, or various cookbooks I've bought through the year. 

One that I made last year, that is just too yummy to NOT make again this year, was Caramel Apple Cookies. I don't remember where I found the recipe but I'm glad I did. A few friends (whom I shared the recipe with) have just loved them - so I thought I'd share them here too.

CARAMEL APPLE COOKIES:

For the cookies:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (*NOTE: I used butter instead)

1-1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 apple juice, divided

2-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup apples, peeled and shredded (*NOTE: I used Pink Lady Apples)

For the Caramel Frosting:

2 to 3 tablespoons margarine, softened

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

1-1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons milk

5 tablespoons finely crushed walnuts 

To make the cookies:
Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Grease baking sheet(s). In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and brown sugar in medium bowl until blended; beat in egg and apple juice. In another mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice and the apples. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake a 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

To make the Caramel Frosting:
Heat margarine, brown sugar, and water over medium high heat in saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; beat in powdered sugar and enough milk to make spreadable consistency; use immediately. If frosting begins to harden, return to low heat and stir in more milk.