Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies – Thick, soft, chewy, and gooey Thumbprint Cookies filled with caramel, drizzled with chocolate, and sprinkled with salt.
Perfectly delicious and rich Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies will become your most favorite cookie recipe ever! Caramel and chocolate lovers won’t be able to resist these awesome treats… with salt on top! ?
Friends, it’s very unlike me to share a rich and buttery cookie recipe, but Christmas is on its way and I GOT to have me some cookies. You, as well. Thus, I present to you this wonderful sweet and salty combination. It is a cookie recipe that incorporates caramel, chocolate, and a finishing sprinkle of salt. ?
The cookies are fabulous, and everyone will be asking you for the recipe. The secret to this cookie recipe is chilling the cookie dough for 1 hour before baking.
SALTED CARAMEL THUMBPRINT COOKIES
- To make the batter, we’re going to combine our flour with creamed butter and sugar – this takes all of 5 minutes. We will then cover the cookie dough and put in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- When ready, shape dough into 1-inch balls and place onto a cookie sheet. Using the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure, press down into the middle of each dough ball to make a well.
- We will bake these cookies at 350F for 16 minutes, and up to 20 minutes. We’re looking for browned edges and dry tops. I recommend to start checking at the 15 minute mark.
- Once they are done baking, remove from the oven and let completely cool; about 20-ish minutes.
- In the meantime, melt the caramels, then spoon melted caramel into indentation of each cooled cookie.
- Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate, sprinkle with salt, and let stand about 10 minutes or until chocolate is set. FYI: Coarse or flaky sea salt works best.
These are an all-time favorite cookie recipe, and the filling options are absolutely endless, but for the Season, I think caramel is the best choice.
Alright, run to your kitchen and make some already!
HOW TO MAKE AHEAD
- Baked, unfilled cookies can be frozen for 1 month. Arrange the cookies in single layers, divided by waxed paper in an airtight container.
- You can also keep unfilled cookies on the kitchen counter at room temperature for 5 days.
- Cookies can be filled up to 3 days ahead; once filled, arrange on a sheet pan in one layer and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap isn’t touching the caramel. Store at room temperature.
MORE COOKIES RECIPES
ENJOY!
Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Thick, soft, chewy, and gooey Thumbprint Cookies filled with caramel, drizzled with chocolate, and sprinkled with salt.
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramel, chocolate cookies, christmas cookies, thumbprint cookies
Servings: 24 Cookies
Calories: 191 kcal
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
- 1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
FOR THE FILLING
- 12 (11-ounces bag) caramels unwrapped
- 2 tablespoons half & half
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
- coarse sea salt, for topping
Instructions
FOR THE COOKIES
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
Lower speed to medium and add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt; continue to beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer off and pour in the flour; with mixer on low speed, beat mixture until soft dough is formed.
Remove mixer from bowl; press the dough down and cover with plastic wrap; place in the fridge and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Pinch off 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and shape into smooth balls. If the dough is still too soft, put back in the fridge to chill a bit longer.
Arrange dough balls about 1-1/2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. Using the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure, press down into the middle of each ball to make a well. If the edges crack, reroll the cookie dough ball.
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are dry and edges are golden brown.
Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet; transfer from cookie sheet to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the filling.
FOR THE FILLING
In microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and half-and-half uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once or twice, until caramels are melted.
Spoon caramel into indentation of each completely cooled cookie; let stand about 10 minutes.
Drizzle each cookie with melted chocolate; sprinkle with salt.
Let stand about 10 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Recipe Notes
HOW TO MAKE AHEAD
- Baked, unfilled cookies can be frozen for 1 month. Arrange the cookies in single layers, divided by waxed paper in an airtight container.
- You can also keep unfilled cookies on the kitchen counter at room temperature for 5 days.
- Cookies can be filled up to 3 days ahead; once filled, arrange on a sheet pan in one layer and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap isn’t touching the caramel. Store at room temperature.
WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 9
Nutrition Facts
Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 191 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Sodium 154mg 6%
Potassium 60mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Sugars 12g
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 5.1%
Vitamin C 0.1%
Calcium 3.1%
Iron 3.3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
