Ooey Gooey Center

Well I’ve always been told I’m over emotional so maybe I’m the one with an Ooey Gooey Center … Oh Wait I was talking about a cookie.  Sorry got a little side tracked!  I found this very yummy cookie recipe of COURSE on Pinterest and have been dying to make it.  We had a gravesite memorial for the family for my grandmother on Sunday.  After church I ran home and wanted to make up something real quick to bring to the luncheon afterwards.  I’m glad to say these were a HUGE hit!  I made Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies that I found on Scrambled Henfruit’s blog.

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
• 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) – I used Target’s brand found in Candy Isle

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
• In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
• With your mixer (or an energetic spoon) 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.
• Refrigerate for about an hour. (I skipped that)
• 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. Please don't over-bake! 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.

Follow her instructions they were really easy to make and I couldn’t believe how fast they went.  Enjoy!