Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies


Even though I am famous for my cupcakes....cookies are really my favorite.  I love them all.  Chocolate chip, oatmeal, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles......ALL of them!  It's funny that I am so experimental with cupcakes but more of a purist with cookies, so I figured it was time for me to branch out and make a cookie with a little more oompf!  This recipe comes straight to you from Better Homes and Gardens.  I followed it exactly as written for this post.


The cookie base is very chocolatey, I used Dutch process cocoa which made for a deeper, richer chocolate flavor.  Very much like a brownie!  The cookie dough is rolled into balls, dipped in egg white and rolled in the chopped pecans.  At this point a normal person would use their thumb to make the thumbprint in the cookie, but I'm not normal!  Plus, we all know I have dozens of wine corks laying around!  So if you don't want to use your thumb, you can use a wine cork, or the back of a measuring spoon, to make the indention in the cookies.


The baked cookies are filled with gooey caramel filling!  My tip to you would be to melt your caramels in cream and leave the pan on the stove with the burner turned off.  This will help keep the caramel pourable so that you don't have to keep re-heating it after each batch is baked.






I finished off my cookies by drizzling melted chocolate over the top!  So pretty and so yummy!

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies via Better Homes and Garden
Makes 36 cookies

1 egg
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon shortening

Separate egg; place yolk and white in separate bowls. Cover and chill egg white until needed. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat well. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.

In another bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until well combined. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in egg white, then roll in the chopped pecans.  Place on cookie sheet and using your thumb (or a wine cork), make an indentation in the center of each cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are firm. If cookie centers puff during baking, repress with your thumb. Spoon melted caramel mixture into indentations of cookies. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. (If necessary, reheat caramel mixture to keep it spoonable.)

In another saucepan heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over tops of cookies. Let stand until chocolate is set.

32 comments:

  1. So decadent and so delicious! Becky I love these - a perfectly scrumptious cookie for the holiday season :D

    And now I have a use for leftover wine bottle corks! ;)

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    1. Thanks so much Jess! I thought they would be great for Christmas...everyone loves chocolate!!

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  2. I love the wine bottle cork divet maker. You are so creative.

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    1. Thanks Lisa! You know I have so many of them, I had to come up with a new use! :p

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  3. These are the epitome of indulgent :)

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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    1. Thanks CCU!!! Hope all is going well with your studies!!

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  4. OMG! I'm going to need at least a dozen of these, please!

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  5. Oooh these cookies look absolutely decadent and delicious! I love em! Thanks so much for linking up with mine and Kristina's cookie exchange! :)

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    1. You are welcome! I LOVE cookie exchanges, I always get so many great ideas! Thanks for hosting!

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  6. These look amazing! I love the cork "thumb print" maker! Such a great idea. I will be making these this holiday season!! Thanks for sharing. :) -Mea

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  7. Wow these are just beautiful, I can't even imagine how delicious they must be. The combination of caramel and chocolate and nuts is just divine! Gorgeous :) I shared something on the Cookie Exchange too! I love link ups like these.

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  8. I have to make these - they look so delectable! I am pinning it :)

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  10. Found these via My Turn for Us. Had to come by to say YUM!!! and pin. :D

    ahumblebumble.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks Becca!!! I will have to come over and visit you at your blog too!! I meet so many great people through Eveyln's blog hop!! :)

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  11. These look so pretty and yummy too! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!

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  12. These cookies look delicious. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this with everyone. It runs from Wednesday through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
    http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/12/fabric-covered-can-pen-and-pencil.html
    Debi @ Adorned From Above

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    1. Thanks Debi! I would love to come join you on Wednesdays! :)

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  13. These look so delicious! I would love to share this recipe on a cookie post I'm doing for Daily Dish, our sister blog to Foodie Friends Friday! I will include a link back to you. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!

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    1. That is so exciting! Thanks so much for sharing my recipe! I love all of the wonderful recipes I get from Foodie Friends Friday!! :)

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  14. Thanks! I'm the same way about all the recipes...who needs a cookbook, right? The post is scheduled to go LIVE tomorrow, so please come over and see it and if you could share it on your blog for your readers to see also! www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com

    Thanks!

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  15. Your cookies look amazing! Thanks for sharing your recipe with the Hearth and Soul Hop. I will be featuring this post in my highlights today.

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    1. Wow! Thanks so much Alea! I really appreciate you doing that! I hope people try the recipe, they are so easy and sooooo yummy!

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  16. I love that you used a wine cork to make your thumb prints. I'm drooling over your cookies right now!

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    1. Thanks Jenn! When you have as many wine corks as I do, you have to become pretty creative! ;)

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  17. Becky these look so moist and the crunch of the nuts... I can taste them now.

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  18. Thanks so much for sharing at Wednesday's Adorned From Above Blog Hop.
    Debi @ Adorned From Above
    Joye and Myrna @ The Busy Bee's
    Linda @ With A Blast

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