Make the apple pie filling

• Simmer the chopped apples, salted butter, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a saucepan until the apples have mostly softened.
• Mix the cornstarch with the cold water to make a slurry.
• Pour the slurry into the simmering apples and mix until thickened, then set aside to cool.

Brown the butter

• Melt the salted butter in a saucepan over low/medium heat, stirring consistently.
• Keep stirring as it foams until it turns a golden brown/amber colour.
• Let it cool for 15 minutes.

Make the cookie dough

• Whisk the cooled brown butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar until combined.
• Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
• Fold in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves and baking soda.

Shape and chill the dough

• Take heaped tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls.
• Chill the cookie dough balls in the freezer for 1 hour.

Bake the cookies

• Bake at 160 °C for 14–17 minutes.
• Use the back of a tablespoon to create an indent in each cookie.

Fill and finish

• Once the cookies have cooled, add the apple filling into the indent.
• Optionally drizzle with caramel sauce.