Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature, separated
  • 2 tablespoons 2% milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • filling:
  • 12 to 14 caramels
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon shortening

  • Directions

    1. In a large 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 easy to handle.
    2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls. In a shallow bowl, beat egg white. Place pecans in a separate shallow bowl. Dip balls in egg white, then in pecans, patting to help pecans adhere.
    3. Place 2 in. apart on greased bakin sheets Press a deep indentation in center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
    4. In a large heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

    Nutrition Facts

    1 cookie: 128 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.