These Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are soft and rich dark chocolate with a creamy salted caramel center that will make you mouth think it’s in heaven!
If you couldn’t tell by now, I kinda like dark chocolate. Ok, maybe I love it. A lot. And I’ve realized recently, that I am quite fond of caramel as well. Always have been I guess, but just realized that it is right up there with my other favorites. And I’ve always been especially drawn to dark chocolate with caramel. You know…the boxes of chocolates…gimme the dark chocolate caramel ones. The rest…eh. I could take them or leave them mostly.
Anyhoo…now that I’ve given you my candy preferences, why don’t we get to this amazing cookie?? The cookie is soft, chewy and rich dark chocolate, which on it’s own is pretty spectacular. But then you add the salted caramel to the thumbprint center, and you’ve pretty much got the best cookie ever. Seriously. I had to get them out of my house before I ate every last one. And usually I have pretty good self control with my baked goods. These…not a chance.
I mean, just look at that caramel!!! If there was a heaven for tastebuds, that bite right there would be it.
So what do you need to make Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies?
Unsalted butter
Dark chocolate chips or bars
All-purpose flour
Dark cocoa powder
Baking powder
Salt
Light brown sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Caramel candies
Heavy cream
Coarse salt
How to make Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies:
Full printable recipe below!
Step 1
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the dark chocolate, stirring frequently, over medium heat. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Step 2
While the chocolate is cooling, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer), add the sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture until just blended, then add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Arrange balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet, and use a teaspoon or similarly sized/shaped item to make a thumbprint in each cookie. You may have to bake multiple batches depending on the size of your cookie sheet. Bake until the tops of the cookies crack, about 12 minutes.
Step 6
Transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.
Step 7
Meanwhile, add the caramels, heavy cream and coarse salt to a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often until the caramels melt and a smooth sauce forms. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Step 8
Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel sauce into the thumbprint of each cookie and sprinkle with coarse salt and devour immediately!
Step 9
Store in an airtight container, in single layers to prevent caramel from sticking to other cookies, for up to a week.
Run. Run as fast as you can to the kitchen and make these Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies! And then, make them again!
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Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 10 oz dark chocolate chips, or bars
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
For the salted caramel
- 6 oz baking caramels
- 4 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp coarse salt, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the dark chocolate, stirring frequently, over medium heat. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- While the chocolate is cooling, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer), add the sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in the cooled chocolate mixture until just blended, then add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Arrange balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet, and use a teaspoon or similarly sized/shaped item to make a thumbprint in each cookie. You may have to bake multiple batches depending on the size of your cookie sheet. Bake until the tops of the cookies crack, about 12 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, add the caramels, heavy cream and coarse salt to a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often until the caramels melt and a smooth sauce forms. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel sauce into the thumbprint of each cookie and sprinkle with coarse salt and devour immediately!
- Store in an airtight container, in single layers to prevent caramel from sticking to other cookies, for up to a week.
I’m a huge thumbprint cookie fan…but I’m not sure if I’ve ever made a dark chocolate version! Guess I better get on that!`
In the recipe, it doesn’t mention if the brown sugar should be packed or not. Could you please clarify? Thanks!
Hi Karen – I do not pack the brown sugar. Just scoop it from the bag and dump it in!