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Ingredients
- COOKIES
- 1 cup (140 g) all-purpose gluten free flour (I used my Better Than Cup4Cup blend)
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 3 tablespoons (27 g) cornstarch (you can try arrowroot if you can’t have corn)
- 7 tablespoons (35 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (you can try replacing with an equal amount of natural unsweetened cocoa powder + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg (60 g, out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- CARAMEL FILLING
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, weighted) water
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Chopped raw pecans, for sprinkling
- Melted chocolate, for drizzling (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
First, make the cookies. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
Make the cookie dough. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and whisk to combine again, working out any lumps. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, egg and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough will come together and be thick but soft. Wrap the dough in a piece of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the caramel filling.
Make the caramel filling. In a small, heavy-bottom saucepan, place the granulated sugar, cream of tartar and water, and mix to combine well. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook until the mixture is beginning to turn amber in color (to ensure that you do not burn the sugar, clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and remove it from the heat when the sugar mixture reaches 300°F). Remove the pan from the heat and, whisking constantly, slowly add the cream. The mixture will bubble fiercely. Keep stirring until the mixture stops bubbling and is smooth. Add the butter and salt, and whisk to combine well. Pour the caramel into a separate heat-safe bowl or jar, and allow to cool while you make the cookies. It will thicken as it cools.
Shape the cookies. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, press into a disk about 1/2-inch thick, and place about 1 inch apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet. Press the moistened bowl of a 1/2 teaspoon (or your thumb, moistened) into the center of each disk, about 3/4 of the way to the bottom of the dough. If the dough begins to stick to the teaspoon or your thumb, moisten it in between each cookie.
Bake the cookies. Place the cookies in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and set (they will not glisten when they’re baked like they do when they’re raw). Remove the cookies from the oven, and press the thumbprint depressions again with the bowl of a 1/2 teaspoon if any have puffed up too much during baking. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Assemble the cookies. Once the cookies are cool, fill the thumbprint depressions with the cooled caramel, sprinkle immediately with chopped pecans and drizzle with the (optional) melted chocolate. Allow to sit at room temperature until set (about 20 minutes—less if you refrigerate the cookies).