Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies
Every once in a while you make something that is sooo good……Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies are it!!!
When I was a kid, my Grandma always had several goodies at her house…….. M&M’s, Ding Dong’s (in the frig) and shortbread cookies. I have always loved shortbread cookies, and my Grandma had the kind that came in the blue tin. Once it was empty she used it for sewing stuff……buttons, thread and the like. I helped her empty many a tin……
After we all grew-up and got married and whatnot, my Grandma still got all of us (she had nine grandchildren) a gift every Christmas. Living on a fixed budget she couldn’t afford much, so every year we each got a tin of shortbread cookies wrapped in a dish towel and a bag of M&Ms. I sure do miss those gifts…..but I miss my Grandma more, she was my rock growing up.
I attribute my love of cooking to two people, one Mrs. Urbaneck my High School Home Ec teacher, and my Grandma who was the best cook I knew.These cookies are a tribute to my Grandma for giving me my love of cooking and some of the best memories of my life.
Shortbread cookies are awesome on their own or as a base for a cookie bar. But top that cookie with salted caramel…….oooooo it’s soooooo good! Sorry Mr. Food I stole your line…..lol.
Tim and I have had a love affair with Salted Caramel ever since our first bite of Salted Caramel Gelato……so creamy, caramely, and salty…..we just eat it out of the carton.
Topping things with caramel got a lot easier when those smart folks at Kraft started selling caramel bits for baking……..I know right…..no more unwrapping a million caramels for a recipe! Just pour them into a bowl a little bit of cream for ……creaminess and in the wave for a few minutes……ta da, caramel sauce. One little scoop on top of the cooled shortbread cookies, and it spread like magic over the top…..it was a beautiful thing. Sprinkle on some sea salt and let it set up.
It needs the time to set up so you can add your next layer of love……dark chocolate. Is there anything as decadent as dark chocolate…….I think not. Unless you put in on top of shortbread cookies covered in salted caramel.
For the perfect pièce de résistance …….still with the French thing………more sea salt. It’s just pretty……and tasty.
Let’s talk about the sea salt a minute….Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. First, it is as I said before just pretty, but it’s full of a variety of minerals and has an energy rich iron content……Google it and I bet you switch!!! I know I have……
Back to the cookies…….so I Instagramed a pic of the cookies. You all know about #cakemonday. Well one of my staff saw my pic and said what about #cookiemonday ???? So, I took some to school for my High School staff to try…….either they are trying to suck up to the boss …..or they really liked them.
But, you be the judge…….Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies…..let us know what you think!!
Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- Cookies
- 1½ cups butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Caramel Layer
- 1–11 ounce bag of Kraft Caramel Bits
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Chocolate layer
- • 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla, flour and salt and mix until well combined. (you can also use a hand mixer or mix by hand)
- Turn dough onto a lightly flour surface.
- Roll dough to ½ inch thick.
- With a round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350* F 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool.
- Melt caramel bits according to package directions with cream. Spread over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening, stirring until melted and smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled caramel.
- Let chocolate set slightly and sprinkle with additional sea salt.
We loved them!!
Thanks Mindy!
How many cookies does this make?
Diane
It depends on the size of cookie cutter you use, I got about 3 1/2 dozen. I used a 2 inch round cookie cutter.
Does the chocolate set or stay soft?
It sets…..ps these are really delicious!!!
Can these be frozen?
Allison…..I am not sure as I have never tried to freeze them. Sometimes freezing chocolate doesn’t work out well when they are thawed.
I used caramels instead , about 1 per cookie plus 5 extra and order well. Found you have to melt them in double boiler to keep the caramel soft while spooning onto the cookies. I’ve had people say this is the best cookie they’ve ever had!! Made them for Valentine’s Day…heart shaped. Just Dandy
Thanks, Margie……great idea for Valentines Day!!