Favourite Taffy Apple Cookies

Despite the name, there is not an apple in sight. These taffy apple cookies are a clever bit of holiday party engineering: tender butter cookies rolled into marble-sized balls, baked, skewered with a colored toothpick, then dipped in glossy melted caramel and rolled in chopped nuts. The result is a tray of edible miniatures that look exactly like the caramel apples you remember from the state fair, only one-tenth the size and one-hundredth the mess.

The cookie itself is a basic shortbread. Cream butter and sugar, beat in an egg, work in flour and a little baking powder, roll into tight balls. The point is for the cookie to hold its round shape through baking so the finished bite looks like a real apple.

The caramel coating is where you slow down. Melt caramels gently in a double boiler with water and evaporated milk, stirring constantly so the sugar does not seize.

Pro Tips

• Insert the toothpicks while the cookies are still warm. Cold cookies crack when pierced.
• Powdered sugar on the bottoms before plating is what keeps them from gluing to the liner. Do not skip this step.
• If the caramel thickens before you finish dipping, splash in a teaspoon of water and stir to loosen it back up.
• Chop the nuts fine. Big pieces will slide off the caramel coating.
• Use a heat-safe surface for the finished cookies. The caramel needs a few minutes to set firm.

Variations

• Chocolate-dipped: substitute melted chocolate for the caramel and roll in toasted coconut.
• Spiced caramel: add a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom to the melted caramel for a chai-inspired version.
• Nut-free: roll the caramel-dipped cookies in colored sprinkles or crushed pretzels for a salty contrast.