🍪 Caramel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
These soft, buttery cookies are filled with gooey caramel and topped with rich chocolate — perfect for holidays, gifting, or just because!
🧾 Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the filling:
- 20–24 soft caramel candies (or ½ cup thick caramel sauce)
- 1 tbsp heavy cream (if melting caramels)
For the chocolate drizzle:
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
- Add flour and salt; mix just until combined.
2️⃣ Shape the Cookies
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls.
- Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Use your thumb (or the back of a small spoon) to press an indent into the center of each ball.
3️⃣ Bake
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- If centers puff up, gently press again while still warm.
- Cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
4️⃣ Add Caramel
- If using caramel candies: melt with 1 tbsp heavy cream in microwave (30-second intervals, stirring between).
- Spoon melted caramel into each cooled cookie center.
- Let set for 20–30 minutes.
5️⃣ Drizzle Chocolate
- Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Drizzle over cookies with a spoon or piping bag.
- Let chocolate set before serving.
✨ Tips
- Chill dough 20–30 minutes if it feels too soft.
- Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top for a salted caramel twist.
- Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
If you’d like, I can also give you a salted caramel version, a stuffed caramel center version, or a holiday variation 🎄
