COOKIE DOUGH
2/3 cup white sugar – 1/2 cup softened butter – 1 egg yolk – 1 tsp vanilla – 1/3 cup cocoa – 2 TBSP milk – 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup white flour
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Mix together until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, salt and flour, whisk together until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, and mix until well combined. Dough will be firm but soft. Cover dough with saran wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove dough from the fridge, uncover and scoop smaller amounts of dough into the palm of your hand and roll into 1 inch balls. Place dough balls on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Gently press down the center of each ball with your thumb to make a dish for the caramel filling. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and move cookies from the tray to a cooling rack. While cookies are still warm, gently repress the thumbprint, just slightly, so there’s a nice spot for the caramel.
CARAMEL FILLING
14 Kraft caramels (peeled) – 3 TBSP whipping cream
While the cookies are cooling, place the unwrapped caramels and whipping cream in a saucepan. Over low heat on stove top, melt caramels and cream together, stirring fairly constantly. Do not boil the mixture. Mixture will be smooth, not lumpy. Small trick to filling cookies, fill an icing bag, or small sandwich bag (you’ll have to cut the tip off) with the melted mixture. Squeeze enough caramel into each cookie to fill the thumbprint depression, but not overflow the sides.
CHOCOLATE TOPPING
1/2 cup chocolate chips or melting chocolate (you can use any flavor chip you like) – 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 10 second intervals, stirring in between heating until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Add the vegetable oil to make it easier to pour over the caramel. Fill a squeeze bottle, or icing bag (sandwich bag) with the melted chocolate. Squeeze the chocolate over top of the caramel to cover completely. You may need to tap each cookie to settle the chocolate fully over the caramel layer.
Now if you’re a fan of salted cookies, here’s a chance to lightly sprinkle a little fleur de sel over top of each cookie. It’s not required, but we like it.
Allow the chocolate to harden, then place the cookies in an airtight container. (separate the layers with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together) You can keep them on the counter or freeze for up to 1 month and ENJOY!
You can substitute dairy free maragarine and chocolate in this recipe, or use Gluten-free flower and they work out perfectly without changing the ingredient amounts in the recipe. We actually make 3 double size batches of each every year to we make sure everyone in our family can enjoy them.
Why not make it a homemade Christmas since these cookies are a favorite give-away treat for friends too!
Sincerly,
The Rost