Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Gently fold the diced apples into the cookie dough. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Using a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie), drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each dough ball slightly with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are set. The cookies should remain soft and chewy, so avoid overbaking.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. If using store-bought caramel sauce, heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop to make it pourable. For homemade caramel, melt ½ cup of caramel sauce with 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
10. Once the cookies are completely cooled, drizzle with caramel sauce and optionally sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the drizzle.
11. Serve immediately and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.