Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are a fun variation on a classic cookie. The salted caramel takes them over the top!
I made two batches of cookies this Christmas season. The first batch were the Mexican Wedding Cookies I shared a few days ago and today’s recipe for Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies. The only other batch I may make are Almond Raspberry Shortbread Cookies because they are my daughter’s favorite and she arrived home yesterday and she doesn’t let a Christmas pass without at least enjoying one batch of those cookies!
Last month a couple of my friends helped me host a book signing party and one of my friends brought thumbprint cookies. They were so yummy and disappeared quickly. She filled hers with different flavors of jam but I was it a bit of a caramel mood so I decided to make a salted caramel version. It was a good choice! I love them with jam too but the salted caramel is amazing!
You are probably way more together than I am and all of your holiday baking is already done but don’t wait until next year to try these cookies if it is. They aren’t just for the holidays and would be delicious all year round! I mean, when is salted caramel not in season??!!
The dough needs to chill for about an hour and then form round balls of your dough and using your thumb or the round end of a wooden spoon, push a hole into your dough. Go deep but don’t go all the way through the dough to the baking sheet!
Bake until they are light brown on the bottom and then allow to cool before adding caramel sauce. After caramel has set, sprinkle with coarse salt. See below for my favorite coarse salt. Then try to eat just one!
I think these cookies are even better the second day for some reason. If you want to use jam instead, just add the jam to the hole before baking.
My favorite kitchen items I used to make these SALTED CARAMEL THUMBPRINT COOKIES:
PARCHMENT PAPER SHEETS – These precut sheets of parchment paper are a total time saver in the kitchen.
SHEET PAN – I have at least six of these in my kitchen. I use them everyday. The 13 x 18 size is perfect and I use them for everything!
COOKIE SCOOP – I have these in several different sizes but this is the one I use the most and is the perfect size for cookies.
COARSE SALT – I first found this salt on a trip to France and fell in love with it. Lucky for both of us you can also order it on Amazon.
Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour all purpose
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Caramel Topping
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 Tbsp Heavy whipping cream
- coarse salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Ina stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix on low until combined.
- Shape dough into a disc and wrap in plastic and chill for one hour or more.
- Roll dough into balls, about 1 inch and place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Use end of thumb or round end of wooden spoon and push a hole into the ball. Make a deep well but don't go all the way through to the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown on bottom. Cool on cooling rack
Caramel Topping
- Combine brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occassionaly
- Boil for one minute and then remove from heat and add in whipping cream. Stir to combine and allow to cool.
- Once cookies have cooled and caramel has cooled and set up partly, spoon caramel into the middle of the cookie. Allow caramel to set up and then sprinkle with coarse salt.
Notes
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