Caramel Filling (can make homemade caramel sauce in place of this, if you wish to.)
12-14Caramel Squares
3Tablespoons33% Whipping Cream
1TablespoonMaldon Sea Salt(optional topping)
Chocolate Drizzle
½CupDark Chocolate Chips
1TeaspoonButter or Shortening
Instructions
Separate the Egg yolk from the egg white. Place in two separate dishes and set aside for later.
Dough
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. (no longer in clumps)
Add the egg yolk, vanilla and milk to the butter and cream. Blend to combine.
Sift the cocoa powder into the flour and salt and stir to combine. Add this blend in parts to the bowl until it is all mixed in.
Divide into 40 equally sized portions. This is easily done with a cookie scoop. If you don't have a cookie scoop, it is easier to handle the dough once it has been chilled so chill the dough and then divide.
Chill the dough balls until set up, about 30 Minutes
Coat and Bake Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F
Crush Pecan pieces with a rolling pin. Roll each ball in the egg white you separated earlier, and then roll the whole ball into the pecans, making sure to apply pressure and ensure you have adhered the nuts to the dough ball.
Line two baking sheets with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Top the sheets with prepared dough balls. Rows of 4, 20 dough balls per sheet.
Make an indentation with a round object in the center of each cookie. I like to find something that is half the diameter of the cookie ball. So, say your cookie balls are 2" wide, find a 1" wide object to create the indentation. I find a wooden spoon handle works best for this, but feel free to get creative or go old school and use your THUMB!
Bake for 10 Minutes
Caramel
If using Caramel Squares instead of homemade sauce: Simply remove from packaging and place into a saucepan with the cream. Turn the heat to low and stir until it has melted and is all combined.
Fill Cookies
Place caramel sauce into a squeeze bottle or piping bag (allow to cool slightly first if putting it in a bag) Fill Each cookie with caramel.
If you are using Maldon flaked salt, sprinkle a bit on each cookie now.
Chocolate
In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips + Shortening/Butter and microwave in 10 second increments. Stir in between each microwave session. Drizzle over cookies (for an easier and mess free time, place in a piping bag and pipe on chocolate.
Allow chocolate and caramel to set up at room temperature before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
If you are chilling as a brick before dividing the cookie dough, chill for one hour. Then divide into balls and then chill for 15 minutes before rolling.