Pecan Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

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Pecan Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are a delicious and decadent dessert made with a soft and buttery shortbread cookie base, filled with rich and gooey caramel, and topped with a crunchy pecan.

To make these cookies, a simple shortbread cookie dough is mixed together using flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. The dough is rolled into balls and then indented with a thumbprint to create a well for the caramel filling. The cookies are baked until golden brown and then filled with homemade or store-bought caramel sauce. A pecan half is then placed on top of the caramel filling to finish off the cookie.

The result is a sweet and nutty treat with a perfect balance of textures and flavors. These cookies are great for special occasions, holidays, or just as a sweet snack.

Ingredients

115g softened butter (1⁄2 cup)1⁄2 cup sugar1 egg2 tablespoons milk1 teaspoon vanilla essence11⁄3 cup flour1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1 teaspoon espresso powder1⁄4 teaspoon salt1 cup pecan nuts chopped16 unwrapped caramel squares (store-bought chewy caramels)1 teaspoon hot water

Steps

Preheat oven to 175C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.Add egg beat till well incorporated then mix in milk and vanilla essence.Sift in flour, cocoa powder, espresso and salt until combined. Fold with a rubber spatula till the dough comes together. The dough should be soft but not sticky (press with your fingers it should not stick to your fingers). Chill dough for 1 hour in the fridge.Portion out the dough using a trigger release ice cream scoop and roll it into balls. Roll each ball in the chopped pecans pressing the nuts in to cover the cookie dough well. Place on the prepared baking sheet and press a finger or the back of a 1⁄4 teaspoon measuring spoon into the centre of each ball to form an indentation.Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until set. Be careful not to overbake.While the cookies are still hot, press using the same measuring spoon to keep the indentation intact so there is a good space for the caramel to go.Combine the caramel and water in a microwave-safe bowl and melt by heating in 30-second intervals and stirring in between about 1-2 minutes total. Pour melted caramel into the indentation we made earlier. Let it set then drizzle melted chocolate over it.Melt semisweet chocolate with 1 tsp oil in another microwave-safe bowl in 30 seconds intervals, stirring between each burst of heat, just until melted, about 1-2 minutes.Drizzle melted chocolate over using a ziplock bag. Enjoy once set.