Description
Buttery shortbread-style cookies with a thumbprint center filled with rich homemade caramel and sprinkled with flaky sea salt.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (for caramel)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
1. Cream together softened butter and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
4. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
5. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.
8. Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
10. If the indentations have puffed up, gently press them down again while cookies are still warm.
11. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
12. For the caramel, place 1 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
13. Watch carefully as sugar melts and turns amber, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring.
14. Once sugar is completely melted and amber colored, carefully add the 6 tablespoons butter (it will bubble vigorously).
15. Whisk until butter is incorporated, then slowly add cream while continuing to whisk.
16. Allow caramel to boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
17. Spoon the warm caramel into the thumbprint indentations of each cookie.
18. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while caramel is still warm.
Notes
The caramel will be very hot when first made – allow it to cool slightly before handling or filling cookies.
If the cookie dough becomes too soft while working with it, return it to the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
For perfectly shaped thumbprints, use the back of a rounded measuring teaspoon rather than your thumb.
The caramel will thicken as it cools – if it becomes too thick to pour, gently rewarm it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg