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–+ servings

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

These chocolate caramel thumbprint cookies are incredibly rich and decadent, so chocolatey, dusted with powdered sugar, and filled with a smooth caramel. The chocolate cookie is very soft, while the salted caramel is silky smooth and basically melts in your mouth.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings 32 cookies

Ingredients
 

Salted Caramel

  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) salted butter room temperature, cubed
  • ½ cup (120 mL) heavy cream room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Cookies

  • 1 ¾ cups (219 grams) all purpose flour
  • ½ cup (50 grams) dark (dutch processed) cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • granulated sugar for coating
  • powdered sugar for coating

Instructions

Salted Caramel

  • Add the sugar to a medium-large sauce pan. Place the pan on the stove on low-medium heat while continuously stirring and moving the sugar around the pan. The sugar will clump up before it completely melts.
  • Once the sugar completely melts, it will be a smooth amber/caramel colored liquid. It can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes to completely melt.
  • Once completely melted, add the cubed butter. It will bubble up. Whisk vigorously until the butter is completely melted into the sugar and they are homogeneous. Let the mixture sit and bubble for 30 seconds to one minute without stirring.
  • Slowly add in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up again. Whisk until the heavy cream is combined. Allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds to one minute without stirring. During this time, it will rise in the pan - let it!
  • Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool and thicken while you make the cookies.

Cookies

  • Next, make the cookie dough. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, dark cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. 
  • Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix on low-medium speed until combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a dough forms. It will be thick and sticky.
  • Fill a small bowl with granulated sugar and another small bowl with powdered sugar. 
  • Using a small cookie scoop (mine was a ¾ oz cookie scoop), approximately 25 grams of dough per cookie, scoop the cookie dough and immediately place it in the granulated sugar. Toss to coat - immediately placing the scooped cookie dough into the granulated sugar will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
  • Roll the dough into a ball and toss in the powdered sugar - coat it generously. Place on the lined baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2-3 inches apart. The cookies will spread a little in the oven.
  • Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes until the cookies are set. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately, using a rounded teaspoon, press the bottom of the teaspoon into each cookie until it forms a rounded indent.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, fill the indent in the cookies with the caramel. If the caramel has cooled a lot and has become thick, microwave it for 7-10 seconds to loosen it up. This will make it easier to spoon the caramel into the cookies. Dust with additional powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
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