My Caramel Sandwich Cookie Adventure
Alright, so the other day, I got this massive craving for caramel sandwich cookies. You know the kind – two buttery cookies with that gooey, chewy caramel in the middle. Store-bought ones are okay, I guess, but they never quite hit the spot, and honestly, they cost a small fortune. So, I thought, “Hey, I can totally make these myself!” Famous last words, am I right?
First up, the cookies. I figured a simple shortbread-style cookie would be perfect. I didn’t want anything too complicated to fight with the caramel. So, I grabbed my ingredients:
- Butter, and make sure it’s softened, not melted. I learned that the hard way once.
- Sugar, the regular granulated kind.
- Flour, just all-purpose.
- A pinch of salt, because salt makes everything better.
- And a splash of vanilla extract, for that good ol’ flavor.
The Cookie Making Process:
I started by creaming the butter and sugar together. You know, until it’s light and fluffy. My stand mixer makes this part easy, but my arm used to get a real workout back in the day. Then, I gradually added the flour and salt. Mixed it until it just came together. You don’t want to overmix, or your cookies will be tough. Nobody wants tough cookies. I rolled out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper – less mess, you see – and then chilled it for a bit. This step is super important, trust me. If you don’t chill the dough, your cookies will spread all over the baking sheet and you’ll end up with one giant, thin, sad cookie.
Once chilled, I cut out my little circles. Tried to make them all the same size, which is harder than it looks. Popped them onto a baking sheet lined with more parchment paper (yes, I use a lot of it) and baked them until they were just golden around the edges. I watched them like a hawk because they can go from perfect to burnt in, like, thirty seconds.
Now, for the Main Event: The Caramel!
This, my friends, is where things can get a bit… intense. Caramel is finicky. It demands respect. I used to be terrified of making caramel, but practice makes, well, less terrified.
Here’s what I threw into my trusty heavy-bottomed saucepan:
- More sugar (yes, it’s a sugary affair).
- Some corn syrup – helps prevent crystallization, which is the enemy.
- A bit of water, just enough to get the sugar wet.
- Butter, again. Because butter.
- And heavy cream.
I started by dissolving the sugar, corn syrup, and water over medium heat. No stirring at this stage, just a gentle swirl of the pan. Once it started to boil, I let it do its thing until it turned that beautiful amber color. This is the nerve-wracking part. You gotta watch it constantly. Too light, and it’s bland. Too dark, and it’s bitter. It’s a fine line.
Once it hit that perfect color, I took it off the heat and very carefully whisked in the butter. It sputtered like crazy, so stand back! Then, slowly, I poured in the heavy cream, whisking like mad. It seizes up a bit at first, but keep whisking, and it’ll smooth out into this glorious, glossy caramel. I added a good pinch of sea salt at the end because salted caramel is just chef’s kiss.
Assembly Time!
After the cookies cooled completely (very important, or the caramel will just melt everywhere) and the caramel had thickened up a bit as it cooled, it was time to put these bad boys together. I simply spread a good dollop of caramel on the flat side of one cookie and then sandwiched it with another. It’s a bit messy, not gonna lie. Caramel gets everywhere if you’re not careful. My fingers were definitely sticky.
I let them sit for a while for the caramel to set up properly. This is the hardest part – the waiting. But it’s worth it.
And there you have it! My journey to homemade caramel sandwich cookies. Was it a bit of work? Yeah, kinda. Did I make a mess? Absolutely. But biting into one of those cookies, with the crisp, buttery biscuit and the soft, chewy, salty caramel… totally worth all the effort. They’re miles better than anything you can buy in a package, and I know exactly what went into them. Plus, the satisfaction of making something so delicious from scratch? Priceless. Give it a go, you might surprise yourself!
