Description
Buttery shortbread cookies filled with gooey caramel and topped with flaky sea salt, these classic salted caramel thumbprints are a sweet and salty dream come true.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 20 soft caramel candies, unwrapped
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix well.
- Gradually add flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to press a well into each cookie.
- Chill the shaped dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- In a small saucepan, melt caramel candies with heavy cream over low heat, stirring until smooth.
- Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of caramel into each cookie center. Let set slightly before sprinkling with sea salt.
- Cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps cookies maintain their shape.
- Don’t overfill the centers with caramel to avoid overflow.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: salted caramel thumbprints, caramel cookies, holiday cookies, thumbprint cookies