Hello, the friends! Sorry for my long absence. Holidays and such yadda yadda. Will be better and such yadda yadda.
Now I will share with you my most favorite cookie. It is the cookie-est of all cookies, the heart of what every good cookie should be.
It is the caramel snap. I invented them, yes, me. (I haven't bothered to Google yet to see if anyone else has also simultaneously invented them a la Picasso and Braques with Cubism...I probably never will, because I DID IT ME!)
I'd been experimenting with caramel sauces, specifically Joy's Almost Burnt Salted Caramel Sauce. Her recipe made more than I knew what to do with (I'm sorry to admit there are times even I don't know what to do with so much caramel).
Then one night I was craving gingersnaps and I thought, molasses = sticky sweet sugary substance that is key to cookie perfection.
And here I have all of this caramel sauce.
!!
Do it. Do it. Do it now. Put salt in it.
I love you.
Caramel Snaps
adapted from Ginger Snaps on Sally's Baking Addiction (these are my favorite soft ginger snaps)
Makes 2 - 2 1/2 dozen
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup caramel sauce
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand or handheld mixer, cream the butter for about 1 minute on medium speed. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about another 2 minutes.
Add the caramel, egg, and vanilla. Beat well, about another minute.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed. Cover dough with foil and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar (I used coconut sugar, because I had it on hand). Place balls 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes, or longer if you like them crispy. Cookies will be puffy. PUFFY IS GOOD.
