Chocolate Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

It's no secret that another one of my favorite flavor combinations is salted caramel, as apparent by one of my past posts. There's something about the salty sweet that draws me in, and in these cookies, with the additions of chocolate and pecans, all is right in the world.

They're tiny little things, so I don't feel too guilty eating a couple, and pecans are added protein so they're kind of healthy. Right? No? Well, let me just live in my own world where cookies are healthy, because if eating cookies are wrong I don't want to be right.

I adapted this recipe from Taste of Home, and boy, am I glad I did. These cookies make me happy, so if you're feeling a bit down make these. They'll put a smile on your face and undoubtedly a smile on your tummy.

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Chocolate Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
by May-1-2014
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 12 to 14 caramels
  • 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • Sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until you can easily roll it into balls.2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. In a bowl, beat egg white. Place pecans in a separate bowl. Dip balls in egg white, then in pecans, patting to help pecans adhere to the dough.3. Press a deep indentation in center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. When I took them out of the oven I used the wooden spoon again to make the thumbprint deeper.4. In a large heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. Sprinkle each top with a bit of sea salt to taste.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 24 cookies
Info
Written by Mary Ryherd On In , Tagged , ,