Caramel Walnut Star Cookies Recipes

CARAMEL COOKIE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• For the shortbread cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda and fine salt to combine; set aside.
• Put the butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed, until the ingredients are fully combined and the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the brandy, vanilla and egg yolks and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
• On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until the flour is fully incorporated. Mix for about 1 minute.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and place them onto 2 separate pieces of plastic wrap. Shape each piece into a smooth disk and wrap tightly. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Unwrap one piece of dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. With a 2-inch round cutter (plain or fluted), cut out about 20 circles and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Bake on the middle rack, in 2 batches if necessary, until golden brownish on top, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting and baking process with the second dough piece, for an additional 20 cookies. Reroll the scraps once, cutting out 12 more circles, and bake.
• For the Mexican cajeta: Stir together the milk and sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the vanilla extract, salt and vanilla bean pods and seeds if using. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat while constantly stirring, 6 to 8 minutes.
• When the milk comes to a boil, remove from the heat and add the baking soda. The milk will become frothy and rise. Keep stirring the mixture. Put the pot back on the stove over medium heat. Cook at a low simmer, stirring frequently to make sure that the sauce does not stick to bottom of the pan. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer. After 15 minutes, the mixture will be light golden brown. Remove the vanilla pods if using and continue cooking until the mixture is a rich brown and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups (it will resemble a thick caramel sauce at this point), about 30 additional minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• After the cookies and cajeta have cooled, flip half of the cookies upside down and gently spread about 2 teaspoons of the cajeta on each one (if the cajeta is too thick to spread easily after cooling, microwave it briefly to warm it up and loosen it enough to spread). Place another cookie bottom-side down on top of the cajeta on each and press to create a sandwich. Dust the cookies with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!

CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; blend into the creamed mixture. Mix in the walnuts. Form dough into long roll about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Unwrap the roll of dough and using a sharp knife, slice the roll into 1/4 inch coins. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

CARAMEL-WALNUT STAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and vanilla, then walnuts., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a 3-in. star-shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Press a walnut half in the center of each. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool., Spread bottoms of cookies with melted chocolate. Place chocolate side up on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set., For glaze, in a small saucepan, bring brown sugar and butter to a boil. Cook and stir 30 seconds. Remove from the heat; cool 5 minutes. Whisk in milk until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar. Immediately drizzle over top of cookies. Let stand until set.

PUMPKIN WALNUT COOKIES WITH CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cookies: In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until combined. Add sugars; beat until light and fluffy. Blend in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well (dough will be thick). Fold in chopped nuts. Refrigerate cookie dough for 2 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes. (Mine came out perfectly in 12 minutes for both a gas and electric oven. These cookies don't brown much because of their color.).
• Cool for 1 minute on pan. Move to wire rack to cool.
• For frosting: In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 3 minutes and remove from heat.
• Stir in maple syrup (or flavoring) and vanilla extract. Cool completely.
• In a mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir caramel until smooth, add to cream cheese, and mix until combined.
• Add and mix in powdered sugar, starting with 2 cups, until it reaches a frosting consistency. Frost cookies.
• NOTE: I've glazed these when the bottom of the cookies are just a little warm and the frosting has set up beautifully. With my next batch, I didn't wait as long, and while the frosting did stay on the top, some of it did ooze down the sides like a glaze. So frost however you want it to be like!

CHOCOLATE CHIP-CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
• Beat butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs. Beat in the flour mixture gradually until just combined. Stir chocolate morsels, caramel morsels, and walnuts into the dough.
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and fluffy; stir in egg yolk.
• In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir flour mixture into butter mixture until a dough forms. Drop dough by level teaspoons, 1 inch apart, onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked, about 8 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Remove sheets from oven and tap firmly on a counter to flatten cookies. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely. (To store, keep in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)
• Make frosting: In a bowl, beat together caramel and butter with a wooden spoon until smooth; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread frosting on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies.

CARAMEL WALNUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix flour, sugar and egg.
• Cut in ½ cup margarine until crumbly.
• Stir in walnuts.
• Reserve 2 cups of crumb mixture.
• Press remaining crumb mixture firmly into a greased and floured 13x9 in pan.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• In a saucepan over low heat melt caramels with sweetened-condensed milk and remaining ¼ cup margarine.
• Pour over prepared crust and top with reserved crumb mixture.
• Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.
• Cool and cut into bars.
• Store at room temperature.