Sea Salt Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

These buttery thumbprint cookies are filled with a dreamy homemade caramel sauce and sprinkled with sea salt for that perfect balance of salt + sweet!

Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes

Meet the Chef: Heather Templeton

Hi! I’m Heather, the creator, baker, and photographer behind Heather’s Home Bakery. I started baking when my oldest was about to turn one, and I wanted to make his smash cake. I baked up my first ever layer cake, and I was hooked. Photography soon became a part of that love, and snapping stylized images of my creations have become just as much fun as the creations themselves! I enjoy developing and sharing delicious dessert recipes; from cakes to cookies to scones to muffins to brownies and beyond! So welcome to my bakery... I hope you stay a while, and in the process, find some desserts that you truly love and love to share.

Servings

For the caramel:

  • C&H® Granulated Sugar 1 cup 1 cup C&H® Granulated Sugar
  • ½ cup Salted butter, cut into chunks ½ cup Salted butter, cut into chunks
  • ½ cup Heavy cream ½ cup Heavy cream

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup Salted butter, softened 1 cup Salted butter, softened
  • C&H® Organic Raw Cane Sugar 1 cup 1 cup C&H® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
  • 1 Large egg 1 Large egg
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cup All-purpose flour 2 ¾ cup All-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp Baking powder 2 tsp Baking powder
  • Sea salt for sprinkling Sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

For the caramel sauce:

Step 1

Heat C&H® Granulated Sugar on medium high heat in a saucepan, whisking until melted. Be cautious as you do not want the sugar to burn and be aware of splatter as well. It will be extremely hot.

Step 2

Once the sugar reduces to a dark amber colored liquid, add the butter, whisking until fully combined and bubbly with no remaining lumps.

Step 3

Slowly add the heavy cream and mix until well combined. If mixture clumps up, simply pop the pan back onto the burner for a minute or two of vigorous stirring. It will come together. Allow caramel to sit for 10 minutes. Caramel will thicken as it cools.

Prepare the cookies:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Step 2

Cream butter, C&H® Organic Raw Cane Sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and baking powder, mixing until fully incorporated. Dough should be somewhat stiff but not crumbly.

Step 3

Using a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and roll into balls. Place on a nonstick cookie sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart, and gently press your thumb or the back of a dry measuring teaspoon into each cookie to form a cavern for the caramel. Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges.

Step 4

Remove from oven, and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Spoon caramel onto cookies, filling each cavern. Sprinkle with sea salt. Enjoy!

Chef's Tip

Cookies can be stored in the refrigerator or in a cool dry place for up to four days.