Carmella Cookies Recipes

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 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!

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, 1 cup sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. , Shape dough by tablespoonfuls around each candy. In a small bowl, combine remaining pecans and sugar; dip each cookie halfway. , Place with nut side up on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° until top is slightly cracked, 7-10 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

SALTED CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Position oven racks near the center and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the flour, baking soda and fine sea salt and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, patting into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon-size portions (you should have about 20). Using your hands, roll the dough into balls and place on the baking sheets, staggering dough and leaving about 2 1/2 inches between pieces.
• Wipe the bottom of a glass with a damp towel and use it to press the cookies flat (they should be about 1/3-inch thick).
• Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the edges are golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Place the unwrapped caramels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup. Microwave the mixture for 30 to 45 seconds and stir well. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments until the caramels are fully melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (You could also do this on the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.)
• Once the cookies have cooled completely, spoon a generous teaspoon of caramel into the center of each cookie. Spread the caramel evenly over the surface, leaving a 1/4-inch uncoated edge. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.
• If the caramel becomes too thick as you work, reheat in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, or over medium-low heat on the stovetop, until fluid.
• Let the cookies cool at room temperature until the caramel sets, about 15 minutes, before serving.

SUGAR COOKIE CARMELITAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside.
• In large bowl, stir together 1 pouch of the cookie mix, 1/2 cup of the butter and 1 egg until a dough forms. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until set and light golden brown on edges. Remove from oven; cool.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together caramel sauce and flour; set aside.
• In same large bowl, stir together remaining pouch cookie mix, 1/2 cup butter and egg until a dough forms; set aside.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over partially baked crust in pan. Drizzle caramel mixture evenly over top. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, carefully roll out remaining dough with rolling pin into 13x9-inch rectangle. Peel off 1 sheet waxed paper; carefully place dough over caramel mixture. Peel off remaining sheet of paper.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool 1 hour.
• Refrigerate 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer to set. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

CARMELLA COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
• Add flour and mix until cookie dough comes together.
• Drop cookies by tablespoons.
• Dip cookies into colored sugar or nuts anything you want.
• Bake on ungreased cookies sheet at 350 for 10 minutes. Cookies should be golden around the edges. Watch them.
• Yield depends on cookie size.

AUNT GISELE'S CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1-inch jelly roll pan; set aside.
• Combine the butter, yolks, sugar, cinnamon and flour and mix until you form a cohesive ball of dough. Spread the dough onto the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile cook the almonds, sugar, butter, honey and milk, stirring on occasion, until the mixture is light golden.
• Remove baked dough; spread almonds mixture over the top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until dark golden. Cool and cut into squares or rectangles (be sure to cut the cookies before they turn too hard.)