Holiday baking season is underway, and we’re excited to share 12 of our favourite submissions from our annual Cityline Holiday Cookie Swap to add to your repetoire! Take a look at one of our runner-up winners’ recipes: Sharon L. from Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Chocolate caramel thumbprints!

Happy holidays, and happy baking!

Chocolate caramel thumbprints

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 16 vanilla caramels
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp shortening

Method:

Separate egg and set egg yolk aside. Cover and chill egg white until needed. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350F. In small saucepan, cook and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in egg white, then in pecans to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make indention in center of each cookie.

Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Spoon melted caramel mixture into indentation. (If necessary, reheat caramel mixture to keep it more liquid.) Transfer cookies to wire rack; cool.

In another small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Drizzle cookies with chocolate mixture. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Submitted by Sharon L.
Winnipeg, MB