Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies 16-Nov-2014

These look delectable, but I have yet to try the recipe. I’m not at all sure about using butter substitute here, why not just use the real thing? Also: too many brand names here.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening cut into slices
• OR 1 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
• 3 large eggs separated
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup Smucker’s® Caramel Flavored Topping

Directions

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Adjust rack to middle position. Coat two baking sheets lightly with no-stick cooking spray.

2. BEAT brown sugar and shortening in medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg yolks, water, vanilla and salt. Beat until well combined. Add flour and cocoa on low speed until well blended.

3. BEAT egg whites in a shallow bowl until foamy. Place pecans in a separate shallow bowl. Measure about 2 teaspoons dough for each cookie. Form into balls. Dip each dough ball into egg whites, then roll into pecans. Place on prepared baking sheet. Using the back of teaspoon or your thumb, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie.

4. BAKE 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Make indentation in cookie again. Place 1/2 teaspoon caramel topping into indentation of each cookie. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for several minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.