These Chocolate Dipped Caramel Shortbread Cookies are a delicious, sandy, buttery, caramel shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with Heath toffee bits.
A sweet friend sent me a fun baking package as a gift last Christmas which included some Watkin’s Caramel Extract. I hadn’t tried the caramel extract before and wanted to use it in something special. I left the bottle on the counter waiting for inspiration to strike for weeks.
I’m crazy about shortbread cookies and decided that a shortbread cookie would be the perfect way to highlight the fun caramel extract, which I thought tasted more like a butterscotch flavor.
While the cookies were baking the kitchen was filled with the wonderful scent of butterscotch. The smell reminded me of the Heath Bar toffee chips I had tucked away in the baking basket in my pantry.
So I decided to dress up my Caramel Shortbread Cookies by dipping one half of the cookie in milk chocolate and sprinkling toffee bits on top of the chocolate. That way you get a second layer of butterscotch on top of the cookie.
I fell in love with these Chocolate Dipped Caramel Shortbread Cookies. They really do taste as fabulous as they look.
Chocolate Dipped Caramel Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons caramel flavoring
- 1 ½ cups milk chocolate finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- English Toffee pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the caramel flavoring and beat until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until blended.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼th inch thickness. Cut with a fluted 2 inch round cookie cutter. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpats.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Add chocolate and shortening to a small, deep microwave safe dish. Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Dip one side of the cookie in the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Sprinkle toffee pieces on chocolate and place on baking sheet lined with parchment or Silpat to dry completely about 2 hours.
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Rocky Mountain Woman
They are so gorgeous! I love how they look and I’ll bet they taste even better,
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Barb – they really do 🙂
Eva
These cookies look irresistible! I love chocolate! A lot of chocolate 😉
My Inner Chick
Barbara,
these are fabulous.
Just saved in my FAVES!! thank you.
PS. the article about mourning on Huff Post was great!
Mary Frances
I love shortbread cookies. These look so good. I’m going to make these this weekend.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Mary – enjoy!
Bird
I’m addicted to shortbread! Love how pretty these look too! i made similar last Christmas (but triangle shaped) and it was a hit! Next time I’ll add the crunch! 🙂
Barbara Schieving
Thanks! Triangles would be fun.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
Yummy! I always have a soft spot for shortbread cookies! 🙂
Bonnie
Here are beautiful and contain all my favorite things. I have wondered about e caramel extract. Does it taste artificial?
Barbara Schieving
HI Bonnie! The caramel extract doesn’t have an artificial taste in these cookies, it melts in to the background like vanilla would. The other day I was at Penzey’s and noticed they sold Watkin’s extracts. Have you been there yet?
Carol
YUMMMMMMMMMMM! I do love that extract-now I have a new cookie recipe to try it in. I agree-anything you use it in smells heavenly while baking in the oven. Those cookies look so good-perfect for an afternoon pick me up.
Sara
I have a baking basket in my pantry too! I’ve never seen caramel extract, but now I have to find it so I can make these cookies! These are beautiful!