Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate caramel thumbprint cookies are soft chocolate cookies rolled in pecans and filled with smooth caramel — an easy, no-chill thumbprint cookie that looks fancy for the holidays!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings cookies

Calories 179kcal

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

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

US Customary - Metric

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