Twix Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened about halfway
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 26 soft caramels such as Kraft, unwrapped
• 3 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• Maldon sea salt flakes or Fleur de Sel, optional

Directions

1. For the cookies, whisk the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, beat the butter and sugar until they’re fully blended. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, then turn the mixer to low and gradually work in the flour mixture, mixing only until the dough comes together.
2. Portion the dough 1 Tbsp at a time (24g), roll each portion into a ball, and set them on a flat work surface. Press your thumb into the center of each one to form a well. Move the shaped cookies to plates, leaving a little room around each for chilling, and refrigerate for 45 – 60 minutes. Don’t press the centers after they’re on the plates, or they may cling stubbornly when you try to move them.
3. About halfway through the chilling time, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner, keeping them 2-inches apart, and leave the rest of the shaped dough chilled. Bake for 14 – 15 minutes, until the cookies are set.
4. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press the center of each one again with the back of a rounded teaspoon to deepen the well, since it may have softened and puffed during baking. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool all the way.
5. For the caramel filling, put the caramels and cream in a medium mixing bowl. Microwave at 50% power in 30 second bursts, stirring thoroughly after each one, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Spoon the caramel into the thumbprints, using just enough to fill each center without spilling over, about 1 heaping tsp. Warm it again if it starts to thicken.
6. For the chocolate drizzle, add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power in 30 second bursts, stirring well each time, until smooth and melted. Transfer the melted chocolate to a small resealable bag or piping bag, snip a tiny piece from one corner, and drizzle it over the cookies. Add sea salt, if using.
7. Let the chocolate firm up at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.