Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Make the streusel first. Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter until combined. Whisk for a good minute or two until the sugar begins to dissolve, then use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour. The mixture will be crumb-like and dry. Almost like sludge or sand. This is what you want! Set it aside until you’re ready to use it.

Now make the cookies. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, powder and salt.

Beat the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer for 5 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until combined. Beat in the vanilla, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the caramels and the apple pieces on low speed or with a spatula.

Scoop the dough into 2 or 3 tablespoon size scoops on a baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Top with a spoonful of streusel and gently press it into the cookie scoop. You can add as much as you’d like!

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until just barely baked through. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.