Chocolate caramel thumbprint cookies are soft, rich chocolate cookies rolled in chopped pecans and filled with smooth caramel. They’re an easy, no-chill cookie that looks fancy enough for holiday gifting and Christmas cookie trays.
These Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are a holiday showstopper that couldn’t be easier to make. The cookies bake up soft and chocolatey, and each one is rolled in crunchy chopped pecans for extra flavor and a bit of crunch.
After baking, the centers are filled with a rich, silky caramel that sets perfectly as the cookies cool. Even though they look like bakery-style treats, there’s no chilling required, and the dough comes together in minutes, all of which makes them perfect for last-minute baking, holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or gifting.
They’re festive, impressive, and always one of the first cookies to disappear from the Christmas cookie plate.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/ teaspoon.
- Baking chocolate: I recommend using a semisweet baking chocolate because baking chocolate melts well.
- Pecans: You could use a different nut or use crushed pretzels for a nut-free option.
How to make chocolate caramel thumbprint cookies
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: Beat butter together with granulated sugar and brown sugar together in a large bowl until well-combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
Step 3: Mix in egg until incorporated.
Step 4: Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix in just until combined.
Step 6: Scoop dough by level tablespoon and roll into a ball.
Step 7: Add the beaten egg white to a shallow dish and the chopped pecans to a separate shallow dish. Roll balls in egg white, then in nuts to coat.
Step 8: Place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Step 9: Press your thumb into the center of each ball.
Step 10: Bake for about 8-11 minutes or until the edges are set. If cookie centers puff up during baking, press again with the back of a small measuring spoon.
Step 11: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and heavy cream over low until melted and smooth.
Step 12: Immediately fill cookie centers with melted caramel mixture. If necessary, reheat mixture to keep it soft and melted. Remove cookies; cool on wire racks.
Step 13: Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil. Cool slightly. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in one corner of the bag.
Step 14: Drizzle a little of the chocolate over cookies. Let stand until chocolate is set.
Recipe Tips!
- Nuts: You can use a different type of nut, like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. For a nut-free option, use crushed pretzels.
- Caramel: If you prefer to make your own caramel for you center, you can make a homemade salted caramel with this recipe.
Storage
Store any leftover cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will keep for about 3 days when properly stored.
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Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate cookie dough
- ½ cup salted butter at cool room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour please see the note below about measuring flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
- 1 ¼ cups very finely chopped pecans
Caramel filling
- 16 caramels like Kraft caramels, unwrapped
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
Chocolate drizzle
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Beat butter together with granulated sugar and brown sugar together in a large bowl until well-combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl.½ cup salted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar
- Mix in egg until incorporated.1 large egg
- Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla extract.2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix in just until combined.¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- Scoop dough by level tablespoon and roll into a ball.
- Add the beaten egg white to a shallow dish and the chopped pecans to a separate shallow dish.1 egg white, 1 ¼ cups very finely chopped pecans
- Roll balls in egg white, then in nuts to coat.
- Place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Press your thumb into the center of each ball.
- Bake for about 8-11 minutes or until the edges are set. If cookie centers puff up during baking, press again with the back of a small measuring spoon.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and heavy cream over low until melted and smooth.16 caramels, 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Immediately fill cookie centers with melted caramel mixture. If necessary, reheat mixture to keep it soft and melted. Remove cookies; cool on wire racks.
- Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil. Cool slightly.½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in one corner of the bag.
- Drizzle a little of the chocolate over cookies.
- Let stand until chocolate is set.
Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 1/ teaspoon.
- Baking chocolate: I recommend using a semisweet baking chocolate because baking chocolate melts well.
- Pecans: You could use a different nut or use crushed pretzels for a nut-free option.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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