Candy Apple Cookies

These look like yummy tiny little apples but they are impostors. You see they are tender butter cookies dipped in caramel and coated in toasted walnuts. They make a perfect fall treat

• 1⅓ cups flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar (I use light brown sugar)
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 30 light caramels
• 1 (5 ounce) can of evaporated milk
• 1 cup finely chopped, toasted walnuts
• Toothpicks
• Mini paper muffin cups

Cream butter in large mixer bowl and gradually add brown sugar, beating until light.
Add salt and vanilla and continue beating until thoroughly blended.
Gradually add flour in small amounts and stir by hand. Continue until all flour has been added and dough is well mixed.
Divide the dough into 30-32 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball. Place each ball about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies until they are lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and while the cookies are hot, insert a toothpick in the top of each cookie. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
In a double-boiler or over a pot of simmering water, add caramels and evaporated milk. Cook and stir until mixture is smooth. Place walnuts in a shallow bowl.
Dip cooled cookies into caramel mixture and let the excess drip off. Roll cookies in walnuts.
Let the cookies set on a wire rack with a waxed paper beneath it to catch any drippings. Once the cookies are set, place them in mini paper muffin cups.

recipe source here