Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Fudgy chocolate cookies with creamy caramel centers—an irresistible twist on a classic thumbprint.

Yield: 20 cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
  • 1/2 cup Whole Earth Stevia, Monk Fruit & Allulose Blend
  • 1 ea egg, room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp brown sugar extract (optional)
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup Whole Earth Stevia, Monk Fruit & Allulose Blend Caramel (recipe below)
  • Coarse sea salt

For the Caramel

  •  4 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup Whole Earth Stevia, Monk Fruit & Allulose Blend
  • 1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp brown sugar extract (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preparation

TIMING

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes

For the Cookies:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda together. Set aside.
  2. Cream the butter and Whole Earth Sweetener with a stand mixer and paddle attachment on medium speed (you can also use a hand-held electric mixer). 
  3. Beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, should be light and fluffy.
  4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, brown sugar extract and beat on medium/high until well combined, scraping sides as needed.**
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low in two quick batches, until just combined, dough will be thick.
  6. Set the mixer to medium and beat in the milk, and then the chocolate chips, dough will be sticky.
  7. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  8. Remove dough from the refrigerator and let sit for 15 minutes.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line the baking sheet(s) with parchment.
  10. Scoop dough in 20 tablespoon-sized portions and roll into balls. Directly after rolling into a ball, press each with the palm of your hand to flatten a bit and then press a 1/2 tsp to make an indent.
  11. Arrange cookies 2-3 inches apart on baking sheet, and bake for 10-11 minutes,
  12. When the cookies are straight out of the oven, lightly press down on the centers again with a 1/2 tsp (they may have lost their indent a little as they baked).
  13. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a
    wire rack and let them cool completely.
  14. Once the cookies are cooled, fill each thumbprint with a large teaspoon of the Whole Earth Stevia, Monk Fruit & Allulose Blend caramel.
  15.  Sprinkle sea salt on top and serve.

 

** Note, if the mixture separates, place hot water in a large bowl and place the mixing bowl into that bowl.  This will warm the mixing bowl and the mixture. Scrape down the sides.  After a few minutes, hand whisk the mixture, it will come right together, place back onto the electric mixer and follow the rest of the instruction.

For the Caramel:

  1. Melt butter and Whole Earth Stevia, Monk Fruit & Allulose Blend in a small/medium saucepan over medium heat.  
  2. Whisk continuously and quickly until the butter and the Whole Earth Sweetener is well combined, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, it should be a smooth whitish sauce. 
  3. After fully combined, let simmer and bubble, whisking every 15-20 seconds, the sauce will start to brown and bubble, about 2- 2 1/2 minutes, should be a golden-brown color (do not let it get too dark).
  4. Once golden brown, add cream, and whisk furiously, the sauce will bubble up a lot, keep whisking.
  5. Let the sauce cook for another 2-3 minutes, and should look and have caramel texture.
  6. Take off heat and whisk in vanilla, brown sugar extract and salt. 

Let cool for 10-20 minutes. The sauce will thicken a little as it cools.

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