Salted Caramel Cookie Bites

By Late2Serenity

Hands-on time:
35 mins. to 50 mins.

Baking time:
8 mins. to 12 mins.

Total time:
60 mins. to 1 hrs 30 mins.

Yield:
18 to 36 cookies, depending on the pan

Ingredients

• COOKIE BASE
• 5 5/8 ounces brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4 ounces soft butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon butter rum or vanilla butternut flavor, optional
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg
• 6 1/4 ounces All-Purpose Flour
• TOPPINGS
• 3 ounces block caramel, cut into 1/4" pieces*
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds + 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or other coarse/flaky salt; OR 1/4 cup chopped smoked almonds; OR 2 strips very crisp bacon, crumbled

Details

Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

*Or substitute prepared caramel sauce

1) Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease (or line with paper cups) a mini muffin pan or a filled teacakes pan.

2) In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, and flavoring until well blended.

3) Add the baking powder and egg and beat until fluffy.

4) Mix in the flour.

5) Use a rounded teaspoon scoop to fill the 20 to 24 cups of your mini muffin pan. If you're using a filled teacakes pan, use two rounded teaspoonfuls per cup.

6) Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned around the edges.

7) Top with the caramel pieces, return to the oven, and bake for 1 to 2 minutes more - just until the caramel melts. If you're using caramel sauce, skip this step; simply drizzle it on just before serving.

8) Sprinkle the chopped almonds or crumbled bacon over the cookies while they're warm, so the toppings will stick. Top with a tiny pinch of salt.

9) Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then gently transfer to a cooling rack.

10) Repeat with the remaining batter and toppings.