Salted Caramel Thumbprints Cookies make the perfect cookie for the second day of our 12 Days of Christmas Cookies series. Don’t ya think?
Let me tell you, these little thumbprint cookies are absolutely the most amazing little Christmas cookie. They do take a little bit of effort, but they are so very much worth it.
The recipe makes about 100 little thumbprint cookies, just the right amount for serving when guests drop by for entertaining or giving as gifts while still having a few for yourself. Believe me, they are addictive, so you’ll definitely want to be sure you have a few extra.
While I topped each of my thumbprint cookies with my homemade caramel sauce that I’d chilled, you can also just cut one of those cute little caramels you buy in the bags in half and top each of the cookies while baking. The caramel will be a bit chewier than my homemade caramel sauce I use in the cookies, but it does save a little bit of time.
But, if you are like me and prefer using the homemade caramel sauce, I’d suggest that you make it in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Then, once your cookies are freshly baked, just scoop little bits of the chilled caramel into the thumbprint portion and allow it to melt from the heat of the thumbprints cookie.
Then, once they’ve cooled a bit, just sprinkle them a little bit of Kosher or sea salt and enjoy.
Perfection!
Here’s my Salted Caramel Thumbprints Cookies recipe. I think you’ll love it as much as we do!
Salted Caramel Thumbprints Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) butter
- 1½ cups (297 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
- 2 (100 g) eggs
- 3½ cups (420 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.65 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (344 g) chilled caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine butter and sugar until creamy. Add in vanilla and egg until well-incorporated and then slowly add flour, baking powder, and salt. Shape dough into a ball. Cut into fourths and wrap each section tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
- Scoop 1 teaspoon of dough and then roll in between the palms of your hands until a ball, about the size of a walnut, has formed. Drop onto a cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of the dough ball to form a slight well. Repeat until all dough has been used.
- Place sheet pans in the freezer for about 12 minutes to firm to prevent spreading during baking.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes until brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slighty.
- Scoop ½ teaspoon of chilled caramel sauce to fill the center of the cookie.
- Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I live in Germany however, I am from America. (No not associated with the military)
Anyway, I was looking for desserts to make that would remind me of home. I am making my Mothers Pecan Crunchies and Iced Sugar cookies of course and now the Salted Caramel Blondies. I made the
caramel sauce last night and it is wonderful. I added the salt and it has a unique flavor. Sweet and salty but really yummy. Today I tackle the entire recipe for the Blondies. I have so much caramel sauce left over I am thinking of making one more of you delicious recipes.
Well done Robin, keep recipes and I will make them.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
The caramel sauce was the best I have ever had, but the cookies themselves came out very hard. Thinking perhaps I had baked them too long, I made a second batch which also came out rather hard, though not quite so brick-like as the first. The caramel was fantastic, though and I would definitely use that for another cookie, and pretty much everything else! It was great in hot chocolate!
With that puddle of caramel sauce, how could I resist?!
I can’t wait to make these!!!
Loving the caramel in these! Yum!
Can I freeze this dough for future use?
You can freeze this dough, Kylie. I would follow the recipe through Step 3 in Instructions. Flash freeze for about 30 minutes. Transfer your cookies to a freezer-safe zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, simply remove from the freezer-safe bag and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake as directed, adding about 3 minutes to the baking time.
These look amazing! Love that salted caramel!
You had me at salted caramel! Amazing cookies, Robyn!
They look simple yet amazing. I bet I have a lot of happy people if I dropped these off on random doorsteps. 🙂
Oh my! Yum! I might have to make these…. just saying! 🙂
I love the sprinkle of salt on these. They’re so beautiful!