Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cookies with Mascarpone Glaze
Caramel apples and cinnamon rolls come together in these irresistible Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cookies. A buttery cookie dough is rolled with cinnamon sugar, finely diced apples, and caramel bits, then sliced into pretty swirls and baked until lightly golden.
After baking, the cookies are finished with a sweet mascarpone glaze, another drizzle of caramel, and honey-roasted pecans.
They taste like a little cinnamon roll, caramel apple, and cookie all in one bite.
These cookies are beautiful enough for a holiday cookie tray but delicious enough to make all through the fall and holiday baking season.
HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL APPLE CINNAMON ROLL COOKIES:
INGREDIENTS:
(Full list of ingredients and instructions in printable recipe card.)
- COOKIE DOUGH:
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- butter, softened
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- egg
- pure vanilla
- FILLING:
- butter, very soft but not melted
- apple, finely diced
- granulated sugar
- ground cinnamon
- 1 cup caramel bits
- TOPPING:
- mascarpone cheese, softened
- confectioner sugar
- milk
- caramel bits
- honey roasted chopped pecans
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the dough first. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. After rolling out the dough, spread the butter evenly over it.
Arrange the diced apples, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon mixture, and top with caramel bits.
3. Roll the dough like when doing cinnamon rolls. Cut log in half and wrap each half in cling wrap. Chill for 1 hour.
4. Cut into 1/2-inch slices and bake. Allow to cool on wire rack.
5. Prepare mascarpone glaze and drizzle over the cookies. Melt caramel bits as directed and drizzle over the cookies. Top with honey roasted chopped pecans.
These cookies also freeze very well. Allow the glaze and caramel to dry completely, place in a Ziploc bag and store flat in the freezer.
Recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen
Some other delicious cookies to add to your trays are:
Cranberry Orange Pecan Snickerdoodles
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Caramel Apple Snickerdoodles
Why You Will Love Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- They combine three favorite flavors: caramel, apple, and cinnamon.
- The cinnamon-roll swirl makes these cookies especially pretty.
- The mascarpone glaze adds a creamy, slightly tangy sweetness.
- Caramel bits melt into the cinnamon-apple filling as the cookies bake.
- Honey-roasted pecans add a little crunch on top.
- They are perfect for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, cookie trays, and holiday baking.
- The finished cookies can be frozen, making them a great make-ahead dessert.
Tips for Making These Cookies
Chill the dough twice.
There are two important chilling steps in this recipe.
The first 30-minute chill makes the dough easier to roll. After the filling is added and the dough is rolled into a log, the second 1-hour chill makes the log firm enough to slice.
Dice the apple very small.
Finely diced apple works best in these cookies. Larger pieces can make the dough more difficult to roll and slice.
Use very soft butter for the filling.
The butter should be soft enough to spread easily but should not be melted.
Let the cookies cool before glazing.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before adding the mascarpone glaze and caramel drizzle. This keeps the toppings from melting into the cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Freeze Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cookies?
Yes! These cookies freeze very well. Allow the mascarpone glaze and caramel drizzle to dry completely. Place the cookies in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container, keeping them flat so the toppings stay intact. Can be frozen up to 2 months.
I also love finding ways to take familiar flavors and turn them into something a little different. These cookies were inspired by the idea of a cinnamon roll cookie and became my own version with caramel, apples, mascarpone, and pecans.
They are a little more special than an everyday cookie, but that is exactly what makes them so much fun to bake and share.
If you love caramel apples and cinnamon rolls, these are definitely cookies to put on your baking list.
This post was shared on Sweet Little Bluebird Weekend Potluck.
CARAMEL APPLE CINNAMON ROLL COOKIES with MASCARPONE GLAZE
Ingredients
- COOKIE DOUGH:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 3-4 Tablespoons for rolling dough
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 sticks 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
- FILLING:
- 4 Tablespoons butter very soft but not melted
- 1 cup apple finely diced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup caramel bits
- TOPPING:
- 1 Tablespoon mascarpone cheese softened
- 1 cup confectioner sugar
- 1-4 Tablespoons milk divided
- 1 cup caramel bits
- 1/2 cup - 1 cup honey roasted chopped pecans
Instructions
- Whisk together 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the baking powder in a medium size mixing bowl, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, and both sugars sugars for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add in the egg and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Add in the flour mixture, in 3 parts, with mixer on low speed. Beat just until the dough is well combined. Shape dough into a ball, then flatted into a 2 inch thick disc. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured, hard surface, into a 14 x 9 inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thickness. Spread the butter evenly over the dough. Arrange the diced apple over the butter. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Add the caramel bits evenly over the sugar-cinnamon.
- Roll the dough, tightly, beginning at the long edge, like doing cinnamon rolls. Cut roll in half and wrap each piece in cling wrap. Place on a tray, and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place rolls on cutting board or hard surface, cut into 1/2 inch slices and place on baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges start to get light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to set on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Place the cookies on large baking sheets after cool.
- In a medium size bowl, stir together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner sugar and 2 Tablespoons of milk. If mixture is too thick to drizzle, carefully add small amounts of milk to get desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze lightly over the cookies.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 Tablespoon of the milk and the caramel bits. Heat over a low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and the caramel bits are melted. May add small amount additional milk if necessary. Drizzle the caramel mixture over the cookies. Top each with a few pieces of the pecans. Allow glaze to set before storing in containers.
- Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Notes
As in instructions, chill for 30 minutes after the ingredients are mixed.
Chill again for an hour after the dough with the butter, cinnamon-sugar, apples, and caramel bits filling is rolled up into a log.
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