These cookies are a holiday tradition in my home, always left out for Santa on Christmas Eve. They have the perfect balance of salty, sweet, creamy, and chocolaty flavors—an unbeatable combination! Whether for Santa or a special treat for yourself, these cookies are sure to bring joy to the holiday season or any season in between. 🎄🍪
Ingredients:
1 cup Unbleached Flour
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp Celtic Salt
1/2 cup Butter (softened)
1/3 cup Cane Sugar
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 large egg (separated – keep egg white in a bowl set aside)
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp. Buttermilk
1 1/4 cups finely chopped Pecans
15 individually wrapped Caramels
2 1/2 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
Coarse or Flaky Sea Salt
Cookie Base Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large mixing bowl (or using your stand mixer) whip together butter, sugar, and brown sugar, until slightly pale and fluffy. (approximately 2 minutes)
- Separate egg. Place the egg white in a bowl in the refrigerator.
- Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until well blended.
- Add all dry ingredients slowly and mix until just combined.
- Shape into a ball and place in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.
Cookie Forming/ Baking Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator.
- Remove egg white from the refrigerator. and whisk vigorously until frothy. Use an electric mixer if needed.
- In a second bowl add your finely chopped pecans.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Working with each ball one at a time. Drop the ball into the egg white and roll it around to evenly coat.
- Roll the egg-washed ball in the pecans evenly coating the ball with pecans. Pressing nuts in tightly so they do not fall off if needed.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use your thunk to press an indentation into the center of the cookie ball creating a bowl shape.
- Once your baking sheet is filled with cookies, spaced 2 inches apart, bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven.
- Using the bottom of a round teaspoon, gently press down the swollen centers of each cookie to create a more pronounced indentation.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Caramel Instructions:
- Unwrap the caramels and place them in a small saucepan.
- Add heavy cream and stir constantly over medium-low heat until smooth, creamy, and easy to stir.
- Spoon caramel into each cookie indentation. Do not overfill.
- Lightly sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt.
Enjoy!