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Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

These Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are a sweet and salty dream! Salted caramel is the perfect match for all that toasted coconut!

Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies on parchment paper

Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel

I never seem to stray from cookie baking for long. But, look at all that toasty coconut and salty caramel. How could I resist such deliciousness?

We all know that I bake a lot, but I’ve dialed it way up lately. It is the holiday season, after all. I decided to take advantage of the presence of plenty of baked goods variety around here to break out the coconut. I kinda figured Quinn wouldn’t even notice.

Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookie on a white plate with more cookies on parchment paper in the background

As much as I love coconut, I love toasted coconut even more. These little thumbprints are rolled in coconut, and that coconut gets all toasty in the oven.

Then, just add a simple caramel filling that’s made with just soft caramels and cream. I have become a big fan of Werther’s Original® Baking Caramels. I love the flavor, and they’re so simple to unwrap. That last part may seem trivial, but it’s pretty important when you need to unwrap 30 or so of them.

overhead view of Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies on parchment paper

I saved myself a couple of these for myself and sent the rest off to Quinn’s co-workers. From all reports, they didn’t last very long. I think they now hold the record for fastest empty container.

Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Yield about 54 cookies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies are sweet, salty, and delicious!

Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies on parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 3 & 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 12 ounces (340g) sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 & 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 9 ounces (255g) soft caramels (about 30 caramels)
  • 1/4 cup (59ml) heavy cream
  • sea salt, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
  2. Whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
  3. Place the eggs in a bowl. Place the coconut in another bowl. Set aside.
  4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Dough will be crumbly.
  6. Using a tablespoonful of dough at a time, press the dough in your hands to form balls.* Roll each ball in beaten egg, and then roll in coconut. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make an indentation in each cookie.
  7. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Then, remove the pan from oven, and use the handle of a wooden spoon to make indentations again.
  8. Bake the cookies 8 to 10 more minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Cool the cookies on pans on wire racks.
  9. Place the caramels and cream in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is smooth.
  10. Spoon the caramel into cookie indentations. Sprinkle with sea salt. Allow the caramel to set before serving.

Notes

*The dough is very crumbly. Squeeze it in your hand for a few seconds to get it to hold together. Then, you should be able to roll it into a ball.

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

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Disclosure: Werther’s provided me with product samples and compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

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    20 Comments on “Coconut-Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies”

  1. I like the idea of using caramel instead of the usual jelly or jam center. Coconut is always welcome in my household! I enjoy reading your posts on “Go Bold with Butter”, too.

  2. ooooh I bet this tastes SO amazing-I looove toasted coconut and salted caramel, and the idea of them together? YES

  3. Seeing as how i can never resist toasted coconut or salted caramel…together they are a HUGE double threat!

  4. Oooh I love this version of thumbrint cookies, I bet it tastes amazing!

  5. Woah…these look delicious! Pinning now so I can make them after the holidays!!

  6. Loving the flavors going on here! Might have to add these to my baking list, even though its way too long already :0)

  7. I have made these and I absolutely love them. Yours look out of this world!

  8. YUM. These look amazing!!

  9. My sister and I are firm believers that toasted coconut could solve many of the world’s problems. Throw in some salted caramel? Awwwww, yah!

  10. Minus the coconut, plus a drizzle of semi sweet chocolate, the perfect cookie!

  11. These look incredibly delicious. Cannot wait to make and share them.

  12. Very disappointed in your recipe.  I should have gone with Martha Stewart’s and made a regular thumbprint cookie using my thumb to make the indentation.  These are dry and way too thick because you are not flattening them when you use a wooden spoon handle as you stated in your recipe.   The cookie does not spread and so you have a thick doughy cookie that is cake-like.  It would be better to make just a coconut macaroon and then fill them with caramel. 

  13. Coconut and caramel … a luscious combination. These are going on my ‘to bake’ list. Have a Happy Holiday!

  14. I recently made these as a little gift for my parents. They absolutely LOVED them. In fact, they said that they were the best cookies they have had (and I make them copious amounts of baked treats). The cookie has a texture and taste of a buttery shortbread. The one modification I made was the fact that I used un-sweetened coconut flakes. This worked perfectly for me because they weren’t overly sweet, which I was worried about due to the presence of the sweet caramel. I will say that they are a bit messy to make and you will get batter, eggs and coconut absolutely everywhere — but it is worth it.

  15. Madam pls put the videos of this receip

  16. Thinking of making these with a first time Baker, for a cookie exchange party… wondering if they would freeze well for a week or so?

  17. Jennifer . . . I am itching to try this recipe; it sounds fabulous!! I cannot find the Werther’s baking caramels anywhere. If I use their “soft caramels”, will I need to make any adjustment to your recipe? Thank you!

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