Heat your oven to 350℉ and get your baking trays ready by lining them with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set them aside for now.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, and apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, mixing until everything is well combined.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing gently until everything comes together. Avoid overmixing!
Gently fold the caramel bits into the dough until evenly distributed. Scoop the cookie dough using a medium-sized #40 scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to form balls.
Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches of space between each ball—aim for about 8 cookies per tray.
Bake the caramel apple cider cookies at 350℉ for 12 minutes, keeping a close eye to avoid over-baking.
While the cookies are still warm, use a spatula or a round cookie cutter to gently press the edges inward, especially if any caramel has spread out.
Let the cookies cool on the baking tray until they’re firm enough to move, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.