Caramel Filled Sandies

Caramel Filled Sandies

Caramel Filled Sandies

In December, I got several holiday cookie recipes via email and planned to make Caramel Filled Sandies with my holiday baking but I never got to them. These cookies are so delicious with pecans inside, drizzled dark and white chocolate, with a gooey caramel center and sprinkled coarse salt on the outside. I baked so many cookies around Christmas and held onto this recipe knowing I would make it eventually. Yesterday, it snowed a few inches and I was home reading a new cookbook that inspired me to bake so I made them. The recipe yields three dozen cookies if you shape the dough into 1 ½-inch balls but I made them larger and yielded about 2 dozen cookies. I made one cookie tray with large cookies and another with medium size cookies to see if both kept the indentation in the middle for the caramel. I will explain below.

The only addition of ingredients to this recipe is Pure Vanilla Extract, but I used different techniques so my version of the recipe follows. For the original version of this recipe, go to:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/caramel-filled-sandies/e45b05c9-5ab8-4559-bbfc-85c4de501123.

Get out all the ingredients below and measure them.

Out the oven and cooling...

Ingredients:
1 pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

1 Extra Large Egg

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

¼ cup Finely Chopped Toasted Pecans

1 stick of Salted Butter, softened

1 tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt

34 Caramel Candies, Unwrapped

3 tablespoons Half and Half

1/3 cup White Baking Chips, melted

1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Chips, melted


Filled in the caramel - yum! :)

Using a skillet on medium heat, toast Pecans for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they brown. Cool them completely and then finely chop in food processor.

In a large bowl, combine Cookie Mix, Pecans, Flour, Butter, Egg, and Vanilla until a soft dough forms. Form dough into a large ball and cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for ½ hour. Use a small or large ice cream scoop or form balls with your hands and place on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Using your thumb, make an imprint in the center of each.


Caramel Filled Sandies decorated and are now setting up

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown. If the indentations did not stay, press each again with your thumb and be careful not to burn yourself. I had to do this with the tray of large cookies but the medium size cookies kept the indentation shape. Wait 1-2 minutes before you do this, and then transfer cookies from baking sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.

In a microwaveable bowl, place Caramels and 3 tablespoons of Half and Half in microwave for 1 minute. Check caramels and if they have not melted, continue to melt in 15 second intervals until they are. Stir caramels and use a 1-teaspoon measuring spoon in one hand and with your other hand place a small bowl under the spoon as you pour the caramel in each indentation. Using this technique prevents the caramel from spilling all over the place. Let the caramel cool for about ½ hour.

Caramel Filled Sandies have set and are ready to eat. :)

In two microwaveable bowls, melt dark chocolate in microwave and then do the same with white chocolate for 1 minute. Check to see if chocolate melted. If needed continue to melt chocolate in 15-second intervals until done. Stir and place each in a resealable plastic storage bag to make a disposable pastry bag. Make a knot at the top and snip a tiny bit off the corner of each bag. Use the dark chocolate first and make a swirly design, and then do the same swirly design with the white chocolate over the dark chocolate in the opposite direction. Sprinkle a little coarse salt over each cookie and let them set for about ½ hour before serving.

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys