Just Baking

I am a loyal reader of King Arthur Flour’s The Baking Sheet newsletter. In the summer edition, one of the recipes that grabbed my attention was for this chocolate-caramel cookie. I am actually not a huge fan of caramel, but Quinn definitely is. Always aiming to please, I added it to the top of my “to-make” list.

I didn’t find strong butterscotch flavoring locally, but that did offer me the chance to order it from The Baker’s Catalogue. And, obviously, you can’t just order that one little thing. Once I got that (and a few other things), I was ready to go.

I have to say that even though I don’t care much for caramel, these cookies are delicious. The overall flavor is wonderful, and not too heavy on the caramel/butterscotch. They also have a light texture, with just a little crunch thanks to the turbinado sugar coating. Of course, they are also aesthetically pleasing - little round cookies with a caramel-filled chocolate kiss right on top.

As for Quinn’s opinion of them, well, let’s just say that there was no sharing of these cookies. I was lucky to get even just a few.

Choco-Caramel Cookies, recipe from The Baking Sheet

• 1 bag Hershey’s Caramel Kisses
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 & 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butterscotch-flavored sundae syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon strong butterscotch flavoring
• 2 large eggs
• 3 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup turbinado sugar

Beat butter, brown sugar, syrup, and flavoring together in a large bowl. Add eggs, beating well after each. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add gradually to the butter mixture. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° F. Form dough into 1-inch balls, and roll each in turbinado sugar. Place on lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Place baking sheets on a rack to cool for 3 minutes. Press an indentation the size of a Kiss into the top of the cookies.

When the cookies have cooled to lukewarm, place a Kiss in the center of each one. Cool completely before eating.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.