Caramel Apple Cookies

I'm a huge fan of caramel apples, I've been known to go to fairs and get nothing but caramel apples.  Caramel apples remind me of fall and fairs, which bring back some great memories of showing animals, good friends, and crazy times with other country kids.  There just something so good about biting into a crunchy green apple, covered in sweet gooey caramel and salty peanuts.  My mouth is watering as I write this... it's an instant reaction I swear.  So while it's not yet fall and apples aren't at their peak, I just couldn't wait to try this recipe.  I found it surfing the web and just decided I needed to try it.  They have a great consistency, aren't too chewy nor too sweet; they are basically just a perfect little bit or two.  I'm going to have a hard time not eating the entire batch, which made a ton of cookies!  I would suggest trying this recipe in the fall, because the smell of them baking in the oven would definitely go best with a nice crisp fall day, but they are still delicious and I'm going to enjoy every bite.  So next time you're craving a little bit of fall or a local fair, I suggest making these cookies instead of venturing out and battling the crazy fair crowds. 

Caramel Apple Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 3/4 cup of old fashioned oats that have been pulverized into flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
12 oz of caramel bits
2 cups of Granny Smith apples, chopped into tiny bits

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and put parchment paper on the cookies sheets (DO THIS, otherwise the caramel will burn). 
In a large bowl beat the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the eggs, beat until combined.
Put the oatmeal into the food processor and pulse until ground finely.  Add the ground oats, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined. 
Finely chop the apples and add them to the dough.  Then stir in the caramel bits. 
Take a small cookie scoop and make balls of the dough, this will make them into perfect size cookies.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes and let them cool on the pan for a few minutes (otherwise you'll rip the cookies apart).  Cool on a wire rack and serve.

NOTE:
  If you're not planning on using the dough that day, make it into balls, and freeze it immediately.  If you don't, the apples will leach their liquid into the dough and it will be too wet.  When using them frozen, put on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and then add a few minutes to the cooking time since they are frozen.  They can be stored up to a month in the freezer.