Salted Caramel Kiss Cookies

Salted Caramel Kiss Cookies - made dough November 25, 2012 from Cookies and Cups blog

Since December 4 is National Cookie Day, I'm going to blog slightly out of order to put up another new holiday cookie I've discovered this year and that's the Salted Caramel Kiss Cookies I found on Cookies and Cups' blog.  They're similar to one of the staples I make for my bi-annual holiday dessert party, the Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Kiss Cookies.  This cookie is along the same lines but it's a caramel kiss on top of a brown sugar cookie so they're a good alternative if you need something for guests with peanut allergies.  I made the dough last week and had it in my freezer ready to be baked off on the day of my dessert party.  Stocking up on cookie dough gradually and before you need it is a time-saving life-line.  I ended up not baking these for my dessert party as I figured I already had enough options when the time came.  So I baked them off for friends I was seeing over the following two days instead.  And they were a hit!

I love the brown sugar/caramelized flavor of this cookie.  The sprinkles of fleur de sel was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cookie and you can't go wrong with caramel kisses with their liquid caramel center.  These did spread more than I expected (a common occurrence, hmmm) even though, like with the Chocolate Turtle Cookies, I baked from frozen dough in a convection oven.  The original pic from Cookies and Cups' blog looks more like how I would've wanted mine to look so I may play around with this recipe as well to get less spread.  But I wouldn't want to sacrifice the flavor as it was really good. 

14 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 light brown sugar
approx 24 chocolate caramel candies, such as Caramel Kisses or Rolos, unwrapped
flaked sea salt or fleur de sel for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line baking sheet with parchment paper (unless you're going to freeze the dough first).
2. Heat butter in medium skillet over medium heat until melted. When butter melts slowly swirl the pan and continue to cook the butter until it becomes a nice, brown-caramel color. The swirling helps it from burning. Let cool for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and set aside.
4. When butter is cool, mix 1 3/4 cups light brown sugar and browned butter with electric mixer until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds.
5. Add egg, yolk and vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds, until smooth.
6. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix on medium-low until incorporated.
7. Combine remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl.
8. Roll cookie dough into 2 inch balls (a heaping tablespoon) and then roll in sugar mixture.
9. Place on lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
10. Bake approx 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Do not overbake.
11. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press a caramel chocolate candy into the center of each.
12. Sprinkle each with a pinch of flaked sea salt/fleur de sel and transfer to wire rack to continue cooling.