Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies 2 Ways (Salted Caramel and White Chocolate Peppermint)

chocolate thumbprint cookies with salted caramel and peppermint

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies 2 Ways (Salted Caramel and White Chocolate Peppermint)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Total Time: 42

Servings: cookies

Calories: 110kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Make these chocolate thumbprint cookies for the holidays, with Salted Caramel or White Chocolate Peppermint filling.

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Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Base

1½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 42 grams
½ teaspoon espresso powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder 1 gram
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 6 grams
Turbinado or Demerara sugar for rolling

For the Salted Caramel Thumbprints

15 caramels 124 grams, such as Kraft Baking Caramels
1 tablespoon heavy cream 14 grams
1 teaspoon Flake Sea Salt such as Maldon

For the White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

½ cup white chocolate chips 85 grams, melted
10 peppermint candies 50 grams, crushed, such as Brach's Star Brites

Instructions

For the Cookie Base

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment, and heat oven to 350°F. Set oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together; set aside.
1½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon espresso powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix just until incorporated. Add all flour mixture and mix on lowest speed just until no flour shows.
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll the balls into the Turbinado sugar. Set balls 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Turbinado or Demerara sugar
Using a greased, rounded ½-teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough.
Bake at 350°F until set about 10-12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

For the Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Melt the caramels and cream in the microwave set on high. Stir every 15 seconds until caramels have melted.
15 caramels, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
When cookies are baked, transfer the baking sheets to a cooling rack. Use the same ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to remake the indentations.
Let the cookies set for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to completely cool.
Fill each indentation with the melted caramel mixture and sprinkle with flake sea salt. Cookies are ready to eat when the caramel is set.
1 teaspoon Flake Sea Salt

For the White Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave set at 50%. Stir every 15 seconds. White chocolate seizes easily, so melt the chocolate slowly and without it getting too hot.
½ cup white chocolate chips
Place the peppermints in a quart-size, zipper-style plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush to desired size.
10 peppermint candies
When cookies are baked, transfer the baking sheets to a cooling rack. Use the same ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to remake the indentations and let the cookies set for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to completely cool.
Fill each indentation with the melted white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed peppermints. Lightly press the peppermint into the white chocolate. Let the cookies set until the white chocolate is firm.

Notes

Start by making the cookie dough and getting them in the oven to bake. Then you can quickly prepare the filling to add after cookies are done.
Adding that little bit of espresso powder into the dough gives these cookies a deeper, richer flavor. So good!
Use a greased ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to make the "thumbprint" indentation in each cookie. Gently press it into the center of each ball of dough before baking.
If you bake both sheets of cookies at the same time, be sure to switch them about halfway through baking so they cook evenly.
Let the cookies cool completely before adding the fillings.

Storage: Store chocolate thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition