Dark Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints with Almonds

Dark chocolate caramel thumbprints with almonds. These delicious dark chocolate cookies are rolled in chopped almonds, filled with caramel and drizzled with a chocolate glaze. Festive and delicious.

So….are you ready to hear about my favorite cookie this year? It’s not simple. It’s not easy. It’s not for the calorie counting chicks. You’ve got to be all in for this. You ready? Truly ready?

It’s a small twist on a classic that you’ve seen around before. It’s a dark chocolate caramel thumbprint with almonds. The standard is regular cocoa powder with pecans. But I just had to go and mix things up. Because that’s what I like to do.

Why is this my favorite cookie this you ask? OK. You didn’t ask. You really don’t care but I’m going to tell you anyway. Haha.

These are my favorite for several reasons.

Reason #1. I am in love with dark chocolate lately. Never was a fan but boy am I falling in love. Hard and fast.

Reason #2. I love almonds much more than pecans.

Reason #3. These were entirely too much fun to make.

Disclaimer: They are much more time consuming then a typical drop cookie. But they are creative and they look like they came out of a bakery.

These must be the first item in my bakery. Even if they didn’t taste good people would still buy them because they’re just so cool. OK. They do taste good too. I promise. I wouldn’t take the time to take pictures and rant on and on if they didn’t taste delicious.

Oops! Did I just say my bakery in that last paragraph? No plans of a bakery. It’s just something I dream about doing but never know if I actually want it to come true. You have those kinds of dreams? You know. The kind when you dream about a new baby or puppy and how adorable, fun and awesome it will be and then BAM! There’s sleepless nights, crying, peeing, whining and on and on.

Well, the bakery wouldn’t be like that but it would definitely come with it’s own set of problems. And that my dear friends…I’m definitely not ready for.

So until then. I’ll just keep on dreaming.

Love and sweet dreams,

Melanie

Dark Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints with Almonds

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients

  

For cookies:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg separated
• 2 Tablespoons 2% milk
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder I used Hershey's Special Dark
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds

For caramel cream:

• 12-14 caramels
• 3 Tablespoons whipping cream

For drizzle:

• 3 oz chopped milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• 2 tsp shortening

Instructions

 

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until dough is easier to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. In a shallow bowl, beat egg white. Place almonds in a separate shallow bowl. Roll balls in egg white, then in almonds.
• Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb.
• Bake 11-12 minutes or until set. Remove to baking racks to cool.
• For caramel cream:
• Place caramels and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture in microwave on HIGH power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture.
• For chocolate drizzle:
• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening on 50% power for 1 minute; stir. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Transfer into a sandwich sized zip top bag. Snip very small corner. Drizzle over cookies; let stand until set.

Inspiration from: Classy Cooking

Recipe Adapted from: Taste of Home

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