Best Taffy Apple Cookies

These cookies are pure whimsy: little caramel-apple lookalikes, minus the apple. A tender shortbread cookie gets a toothpick ‘stick,' a dip in gooey caramel, and a roll in crushed peanuts, so each one looks just like a miniature caramel apple on a platter.

The cookie base is a classic melt-in-your-mouth shortbread, made with just butter, powdered sugar, egg yolks and flour. With no leavening, the dough bakes into dense, buttery little rounds that hold their shape and stay tender.

The fun is in the finishing. Once the baked cookies cool, you press a round toothpick into the center, dip them in caramel melted with a splash of milk, and roll them through crushed peanuts while the caramel is still tacky so it grips.

They’re a charming addition to a fall or Halloween dessert table, and kids love both making them and eating them.

Pro Tips

• Let the cookies cool completely before dipping. Warm cookies will melt and slide off the caramel.
• Melt the caramels gently with the milk over low heat, stirring, so the coating stays smooth and dippable.
• Roll in the peanuts while the caramel is still tacky, so they stick before it sets.

Variations

• Use chopped pecans or crushed pretzels instead of peanuts.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the caramel for an extra layer.
• Add a little cinnamon to the cookie dough for a warmer, apple-pie-like flavor.