Delicious Peanut Butter & Apple Cookies

A Perfect Fall Treat

As the leaves start to change color and the air becomes crisp, there's no better way to welcome the fall season than with some freshly baked apple peanut butter cookies. These cookies combine the comforting flavors of apples and peanut butter, making them an ideal treat for cool autumn days. Whether you're baking for yourself or sharing with loved ones, these cookies are sure to be a hit. So, let's roll up our sleeves and get baking!

Ingredients:

For the Cookies:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

- 1 large egg

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 cup peeled and finely chopped apples (about 1 medium apple)

For the Topping:

Drizzle a caramel topping of your choice!

Instructions:

1. Preheat Your Oven:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients:

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt. Set this mixture aside for now.

3. Cream Together Butter and Sugars:

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.

4. Add the Egg and Vanilla:

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

5. Incorporate Dry Ingredients:

Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; you want the cookies to be tender, not tough.

6. *Fold in Chopped Apples:

Gently fold in the finely chopped apples until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.

7. Shape Cookie Dough:

Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

8. Bake:

Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so don't overbake.

9. Cool and Enjoy:

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, serve and enjoy the delicious fusion of apple and peanut butter flavors in every bite!

*If the apples you have on hand aren't as sweet as you'd like, you can still achieve that delightful apple flavor by incorporating Stevia Apple Flavored Drops into your cookie dough. Here's how you can do it:

• Stevia Apple Flavored Drops (follow the manufacturer's instructions for the equivalent sweetness of 1/2 cup of sugar)

These apple peanut butter cookies are a fantastic way to celebrate the flavors of fall. They're perfect for snacking, dessert, or even packing into lunchboxes. Share them with friends and family, and savor the warm, comforting taste of autumn in every bite. Happy baking!