Cookies that taste like caramel apple? Count me in! These Vegan Caramel Apple Crumbl Cookies are delicious, with fresh apple and caramel puddled cookie, topped with a swirl of frosting, caramel and apple pie filling. These are the only cookie I insist you make this season!
This recipe has been made in collaboration with Natures Charm. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. (For more information along with affiliated links, check out my disclosure policy.)
Vegan Caramel Apple Crumbl Cookies
Have you ever wanted an apple pie but not wanted to make a whole pie? I have the perfect recipe which you’ll go crazy for. These Vegan Caramel Apple Crumbl Cookies are buttery, crumbly and delicious. A ‘crisp on the outside and soft on the inside’ bakery style cookie with homemade apple pie filing compote, a cream cheese frosting and caramel swirl, they’re simply irresistible.
What is a Crumbl Cookie?
Crumbl cookies have become absolutely huge on social media from the company ‘Crumbl Cookies’. They have designed these amazing loaded, stuffed and extra cookies topped with a swirl of frosting – yum! If you don’t have a ‘Crumbl’ near you, or simply want to make your own, homemade vegan version, I have the perfect recipe for you.
The four layers of a caramel apple crumbl cookie
- Cookie – This recipe shows you how to make the BEST and super easy bakery-style cookie which is the perfect base for the toppings.
- Caramel – Chewy and gooey caramel, piped inside the cookie and swirled on top is glorious! A real star of the show!
- Frosting – You can’t have a tasty crumbl cookie without a swirl of frosting. This frosting is quick, easy and contains whipping cream to make it ‘melt in your mouth’!
- Apple pie filling- The crown on the top of the cookies is a simple 5 ingredient apple pie filling which makes these cookies stand out in aesthetic and flavour!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Dairy-free butter – Butter helps to add chewiness to the cookie, and is also used in the frosting. You’ll want the butter room temperature for the cookie, and chilled for the buttercream.
- Caster sugar – Helps to add sweetness and bind the cookie.
- Vanilla extract & vanilla bean pod – Vanilla is optional but it helps add more depth to the flavour.
- Dairy-free milk – Any dairy-free milk will work perfectly (almond, oat, soya, cashew etc).
- Plain flour – You’ll need some plain white / all purpose flour for this recipe. Make sure it’s sifted.
- Cornflour or cornstarch – Helps to bind the apple pie filling, making it thick and jellified.
- Lemon juice – Helps to prevent the apples from browning and helps them cook.
- Ground cinnamon – Adds warmth and spice.
- Baking powder – Raising agent, to help to cookie rise.
- Bicarbonate of soda – Raising agent, to help to cookie rise.
- Apple – The star of the show The apple goes inside of the cookie aswell as on top for the pie filling.
- Dairy-free cream cheese – Make sure the cream cheese is of neutral flavour.
- Natures Charm Oat Whipping Cream – Helps to make the frosting super light and creamy.
- Icing sugar – Helps with sweetness in the frosting, and also for dusting over the cookies when served.
- Natures Charm Coconut Caramel – My favourite caramel, added into the cookies before baking and also decorated on top.
I am so excited to be showcasing the new Natures Charm Oat Whipping Cream. This whipping cream is amazing! If you follow me over on Instagram, you’ll know how much I love to use and showcase Natures Charm! They have one of the most amazing ranges of vegan, gluten-free soy-free and lactose-free dessert toppings such as chocolate, caramel and matcha sauces, including a fantastic oat and coconut range of whipping creams, evaporated milk, Sweetened condensed milk and oat milks.
I used their brand new Oat whipping Cream for this recipe. I added it into the frosting to help with the flavour and creaminess! It’s scrumptious and a delicious addition to the decoration! It whips up perfectly and is ultra smooth! Check it out here.
FAQ on caramel apple cookies
How to store caramel apple crumbl cookies?
Store unfrosted cookies in a sealed container. Store frosted cookies in a sealed container in the fridge. Cookies are best enjoyed second day of making, when all of the flavours have time to mature, but they’re delicious warm from the oven also.
How do I chop up the apples?
This is an important question! You will want to chop them quite small, into small little cubes. If the apple is too big, it might miss-shape the cookie and create a little too much moisture. Simply chop into bite sized squares.
How to make the cookies round?
These is a simply trick to getting perfectly round cookies. Once the cookies have baked, remove them from the oven and whilst they’re still how, use a round cookie cutter a little bigger than the cookie so it fits over it, and wiggle. You’ll see the sides of the cookie come together to form a glorious round shape.
What caramel should I use?
Soft and chewy caramel. Hard caramel will be a nightmare to work with, this is why I love Natures Charm Coconut Caramel Sauce. It never fails in baked goods and also leaves you with the most incredible bake!
I used their Coconut Caramel Sauce for this recipe. Check out my previous Natures Charm collab recipes here. To give the maximum caramel to these cookies, before the cookies get placed into the oven to bake, I poked a hole into the cookie dough ball, added some caramel into a piping bag and piped caramel into the middle of the cookie dough. Doing this allows the cookie to contain a hidden caramel core. Bking the caramel also makes it go super sticky and delicious!
I also like to decorate my bakes to show those eating them what the flavour and theme of the bake is! Inside a frosting swirl, I piped some more of that delicious caramel. You would think it would be really sweet, but with the spiced apple and buttery cookie, its the perfect match of sweetness, spice and scrumptious flavours!
Looking for more delicious autumnal bakes? Check these out!
Easy Vegan Chocolate Sweet Rolls
The BEST Vegan S’mores Brownies
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. It would mean so much, thank you & happy baking!
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Vegan Caramel Apple Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The most delicious Vegan Caramel Apple Cookies, with fresh apple, caramel sauce and cream cheese frosting. Spicy, sweet and best of all, absolutely scrumptious!
Ingredients
Ingredients for the apple pie filling
- 180g of chopped apples (see step 2)
- 40g of caster sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Ingredients for the cookie
- 115g of dairy-free butter (cubed)
- 140g of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 30ml of dairy-free milk
- 210g of plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tablespoons of Natures Charm Coconut Caramel Sauce
Ingredients for the cinnamon sugar
- 2 tablespoons of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Ingredients for the frosting
- 30g of dairy-free butter
- 20g of dairy-free cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons of Natures Charm Oat Whipping Cream
- 250g of icing sugar
- 1 vanilla bean pod (seeds only)
+
- Natures Charm Caramel (for the swirl)
Instructions
Method (apple pie filling)
- Wash, core and chop the apples into small bite sized squares. When you have measured out 180g, take out 60g of apple and set aside. This will be baked into the cookie.
- To the 120g of apple, place into a small saucepan, along with the sugar, cinnamon, cornflour and lemon juice. Place the pan over a low / medium heat and cook. Constantly stir with a heat proof spatula for around 5 minutes, or until the apples soften slightly and the sauce turns thick and jellified.
- Transfer the cooked apple mixture into a bowl and allow the mixture to cool fully before use. Cool at room temperature.
Method (cookies)
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan and line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper.
- Add the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip with a hand mixer or the stand mixer until light and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and milk. Whip again until combined.
- Sift in the flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in the remaining 60g of chopped apples.
- Scoop the cookie dough into 6 balls using spoons or an ice-cream scoop.
- Transfer some caramel into a piping bag and pipe some into middle of the the dough.
- Before baking, sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar on top of each cookie.
- Place the cookies on the lined tray (leave the dough in balls, don’t press them down!), leaving room in between as they will spread when baking.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until very lightly golden.
- Once baked, remove the trays from the oven, use a round cookie cutter to help shape the cookies. Use the cookie cutter to scoot the cookies into a circle.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray. While they’re cooling, make the frosting.
Method (cream cheese frosting)
- Add the butter, cream cheese and whipping cream into a bowl and whip until smooth and creamy, either in a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment or using a hand held electric whisk.
- Add in the icing sugar and vanilla, whip until creamy. If it’s too thin or if it ever splits, add in some more chunks of butter.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.
Assemble
- Once the cookies are fully cool, pipe a half swirl of the cream cheese frosting on top of each cookie, filling in the middle of the swirl with caramel sauce. Divide the apple pie filling on top of the cookies and serve with a sprinkle of icing sugar to dust. Place into the fridge to chill and set.
- Once set, serve and enjoy.
Notes
To store: Store the cookies in a sealed container in the fridge, allow to come to room temperature before serving. Best enjoyed 3 days of making.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Made these for a Fall gathering with Apple being the main focus, these were perfect! I am not Vegan but many in the group were so I made these and they were a huge hit!! I actually didn’t use the Nature’s Choice products, I made your Vegan Caramel sauce instead and your cream cheese frosting that you used on your Vegan Caramel Apple Muffins….Pure Perfection! Thank You so much for this amazing recipe along with all your others ☺️