Vegan Caramel Apple Pie Snickerdoodles

Vegan Caramel Apple Pie Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

Ingredients
Sauteed Apples:

• 3 apples, minced
• 2 teaspoons orange juice
• 3/4 cup vegan cinnamon caramel sauce, recipe to follow

Sugar Coating:

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cookies:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup Earth Balance Butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons Egg Substitute (Ener-G Brand) plus 4 TBSP Water
• 1 cup Earth Balance Butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together the 3 TBSP sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon and set aside for cookies.

To make the Sautéed Apples:
Now you can get started on the filling. Heat the 3 apples, juice and saute for 10 minutes, or until softened. Stirring frequently. Stir in the 3/4 cup caramel sauce (recipe below) and continue to cook until it incorporated. Remove from heat and wait to use for cookies.

To Make Cookies:
To make the cookie dough, stir together the dry ingredients. In a bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the 1 cup earth balance butter. Add the 2 cups sugar and continue to mix, then add the egg substitute, 1 TBSP corn syrup, and 2 1/2 tsp vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough 1 hour if it's sticky or difficult to handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll balls of dough about the size of a walnut or 1inch ball then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on an ungreased sheet pan 2 1/2 inches apart.Use your index finger or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon create a depression in the center of each ball.Fill each indentation with nearly 1/2 teaspoon of the apple mixture. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, they will puff up and the surface will slightly crack. Let cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

To make the Cinnamon Caramel Sauce:
Melt 1 cup earth balance in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup corn syrup, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp vanilla, continually stir until the mixture simmers.Once it is simmering add the 1 tsp baking soda, remove from heat and keep stirring! The mixture will foam up, keep stirring until you achieve a smooth texture with no large bubbles. Now it is ready to use for the sauted apples and to drizzle on the cookies, use a spoon and slowly zig & zag on each cookie. Let cookies cool in fridge so the caramel can set on top.

Enjoy!