Start by gathering all your ingredients and tools. Measure everything out and have your mixing bowls, measuring cups, and baking sheets ready. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter using an electric mixer on medium-high speed.

Gradually add both the granulated and light brown sugars, mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy, about one minute.

Add in the vanilla extract and eggs. Mix until just combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until a dough forms.

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to roll into balls.

Peel and dice the apples into bite-sized chunks.

In a medium pan over medium-high heat, combine the diced apples, cubed butter, apple cider (or lemon juice), brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves.

Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender. You can test the tenderness after 15 minutes.

Transfer the apple mixture to a bowl to cool for later use.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar. Cook until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber color, about 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to burn it!

Once melted, add the cubed butter and stir until combined.

Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring constantly. This will cause the mixture to bubble.

Reduce heat to low and add a pinch of flaky sea salt. Let it cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Use a large cookie scoop to portion out 65-gram balls of dough and place them in an airtight container.

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or in the freezer for 2 hours. This helps maintain the shape while baking.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a medium bowl, melt the butter and stir in the remaining streusel ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture.

Crumble this mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Let it cool before breaking it into smaller pieces.

After chilling the dough, preheat your oven to 365°F (185°C).

Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar before placing them on the sheets, making sure to leave enough space for spreading.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should feel set but the centers will look a bit puffy and underdone.

Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before pressing an indent into the center with the back of a spoon.

Spoon the cooled apple pie filling into the centers of each cookie.

Sprinkle the crumble topping over the apple filling generously.

Drizzle the salted caramel sauce over the assembled cookies.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. They make a fantastic treat for any occasion!