Cashew Caramel Cookies

I made these back around Christmas-time, using leftover homemade caramels we had made for Christmas. I made a half-batch and we really liked them. I haven't had a chance to post much lately, or really cook or bake anything lately, because I was doing student teaching to finish a degree.  But, I just finished! Now I can start doing normal things again.  

Cashew Caramel Cookies
Adapted from the Kitchn. Note- I cut this in half

2 sticks butter (8 ounces/226 grams)
2 cupstoasted salted or unsalted cashews (260 grams)
36 soft caramel candies (about 1 1/2 cups/293 grams total), such as Kraft (I used homemade)
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar (267 grams)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour (384 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Melt 2 sticks butter in the microwave or on the stovetop and set aside to cool slightly. Coarsely chop 2 cups toasted salted or unsalted cashews. Unwrap 36 soft caramel candies.

2. Place the butter, 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cashews, 2 large eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and whisk until ribbony and smooth. Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.

3. Using your hands, take 2 caramel candies, press them together, and roll them into a smooth ball. (Depending on the brand and freshness of your caramel candies, they might be too firm to press together. If so, arrange the caramels in a single layer on a large microwave-safe plate and microwave for 30 seconds until the caramels are warm but not melting. If you accidently microwave them too long and they start to melt, just let them cool for a few minutes.) **I used one caramel**

4. Using a large 2 1/3-inch (#16) cookie scoop or 1/4-cup measuring cup, portion out the dough and roll into large balls. **I made regular-sized cookies, using a regular cookie scoops and one caramel for each cookie** Flatten the balls slightly and press a caramel ball into the center of each one. Tightly form the dough around the caramel and reroll into a ball again. Make sure there are no cracks so the caramel does not ooze out during baking. Place the dough balls 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheets (6 to 8 per sheet).

5. Bake 2 sheets at the same time, swapping the top sheet to the bottom rack and bottom sheet to the top midway through baking, until the tops of the cookies are lightly browned, 14 to 17 minutes total. **I can only bake one sheet at a time in my little oven, and my smaller cookies only needed 8-9 minutes** Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for at least 30 minutes before moving. (If you try to pick up the cookies while still hot, the caramel will fall out—and potentially burn you—so be patient.) Keep baking batches until dough is gone.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **