These Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are a sweet and salty dream! Salted caramel is the perfect match for all that toasted coconut!
Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel
I never seem to stray from cookie baking for long. But, look at all that toasty coconut and salty caramel. How could I resist such deliciousness?
We all know that I bake a lot, but I’ve dialed it way up lately. It is the holiday season, after all. I decided to take advantage of the presence of plenty of baked goods variety around here to break out the coconut. I kinda figured Quinn wouldn’t even notice.
As much as I love coconut, I love toasted coconut even more. These little thumbprints are rolled in coconut, and that coconut gets all toasty in the oven.
Then, just add a simple caramel filling that’s made with just soft caramels and cream. I have become a big fan of Werther’s Original® Baking Caramels. I love the flavor, and they’re so simple to unwrap. That last part may seem trivial, but it’s pretty important when you need to unwrap 30 or so of them.
I saved myself a couple of these for myself and sent the rest off to Quinn’s co-workers. From all reports, they didn’t last very long. I think they now hold the record for fastest empty container.
Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are sweet, salty, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 & 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 12 ounces (340g) sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 & 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 9 ounces (255g) soft caramels (about 30 caramels)
- 1/4 cup (59ml) heavy cream
- sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
- Place the eggs in a bowl. Place the coconut in another bowl. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Dough will be crumbly.
- Using a tablespoonful of dough at a time, press the dough in your hands to form balls.* Roll each ball in beaten egg, and then roll in coconut. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make an indentation in each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Then, remove the pan from oven, and use the handle of a wooden spoon to make indentations again.
- Bake the cookies 8 to 10 more minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Cool the cookies on pans on wire racks.
- Place the caramels and cream in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is smooth.
- Spoon the caramel into cookie indentations. Sprinkle with sea salt. Allow the caramel to set before serving.
Notes
*The dough is very crumbly. Squeeze it in your hand for a few seconds to get it to hold together. Then, you should be able to roll it into a ball.
Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Living.
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More Sweet and Salty Cookies
- Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies
- Sea Salt Lime Cookies
- Sweet and Salty Chocolate Chip Cookies
Disclosure: Werther’s provided me with product samples and compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.
20 Comments on “Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies”
I like the idea of using caramel instead of the usual jelly or jam center. Coconut is always welcome in my household! I enjoy reading your posts on “Go Bold with Butter”, too.
ooooh I bet this tastes SO amazing-I looove toasted coconut and salted caramel, and the idea of them together? YES
Seeing as how i can never resist toasted coconut or salted caramel…together they are a HUGE double threat!
Oooh I love this version of thumbrint cookies, I bet it tastes amazing!
Woah…these look delicious! Pinning now so I can make them after the holidays!!
Loving the flavors going on here! Might have to add these to my baking list, even though its way too long already :0)
I have made these and I absolutely love them. Yours look out of this world!
YUM. These look amazing!!
My sister and I are firm believers that toasted coconut could solve many of the world’s problems. Throw in some salted caramel? Awwwww, yah!
Minus the coconut, plus a drizzle of semi sweet chocolate, the perfect cookie!
These look incredibly delicious. Cannot wait to make and share them.
Very disappointed in your recipe. I should have gone with Martha Stewart’s and made a regular thumbprint cookie using my thumb to make the indentation. These are dry and way too thick because you are not flattening them when you use a wooden spoon handle as you stated in your recipe. The cookie does not spread and so you have a thick doughy cookie that is cake-like. It would be better to make just a coconut macaroon and then fill them with caramel.
Coconut and caramel … a luscious combination. These are going on my ‘to bake’ list. Have a Happy Holiday!
I recently made these as a little gift for my parents. They absolutely LOVED them. In fact, they said that they were the best cookies they have had (and I make them copious amounts of baked treats). The cookie has a texture and taste of a buttery shortbread. The one modification I made was the fact that I used un-sweetened coconut flakes. This worked perfectly for me because they weren’t overly sweet, which I was worried about due to the presence of the sweet caramel. I will say that they are a bit messy to make and you will get batter, eggs and coconut absolutely everywhere — but it is worth it.
I’m glad to hear they were so well received, Shelby! And, yes, that mess is 100% worth it! 😉
Madam pls put the videos of this receip
Thinking of making these with a first time Baker, for a cookie exchange party… wondering if they would freeze well for a week or so?
I’ve not tried freezing them, but I think they’d be fine. I would thaw them in the refrigerator first and then bring them to room temperature.
Jennifer . . . I am itching to try this recipe; it sounds fabulous!! I cannot find the Werther’s baking caramels anywhere. If I use their “soft caramels”, will I need to make any adjustment to your recipe? Thank you!
Hi, Edie. Any brand of soft caramels should be fine.