Brown Sugar & Caramel English Toffee Cookies

BROWN SUGAR & CARAMEL ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES

12/5/2018

Sometimes a cookie is almost too pretty to eat! These Brown Sugar & Caramel English Toffee Cookies taste even more wonderful than they look! Loaded with tiny bits of English Toffee, every bite melts in your mouth! Good enough to each alone warm from the oven - but truly perfect with soft silky caramel drizzled on top and sprinkled with more English Toffee bits or toasted pecan pieces.

The first time I put these out for a party, I kept thinking I must have forgotten to put them on the tray - they disappeared so fast that I had to keep re-filling the cookie plate! Ooey, gooey and chewy - the perfect cookie for a special celebration!

Brown Sugar & Caramel English Toffee Cookies

ELEVEN SIMPLE INGREDIENTS!

All-Purpose Flour
Cornstarch
Baking Soda
Salt
Unsalted Butter
Light Brown Sugar
Fresh Eggs
Pure Vanilla Extract
English Toffee Bits (Heath Bits o' Brickle) or Roasted Pecans
Soft Caramels (I like Kraft or Werther's Original Chewy Caramels)
Half & Half

SO SIMPLE & EASY TO MAKE!

These are some of the quickest and easiest cookies you will ever make!

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar; add the egg and vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture at a time, blending just until combined.
Stir in the English Toffee Bits and you're ready to scoop and bake!
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 10-11 minutes.

DO I HAVE TO CHILL THE DOUGH?

Nope! This is one of those rare recipes that creates big and chewy cookies without chilling! Now, if you prefer a really thick cookie, you can chill the dough overnight - it will be more "cakey" and less "chewy" - and it will not spread as much when you bake the cookies (you'll need to add a couple more minutes of baking time as well). Chilling the cookie dough will give you more of a bakery-style cookie.

Brown Sugar & Caramel English Toffee Cookies

IS IT HARD TO MAKE THE CARAMEL TOPPING?

So simple! Place the unwrapped caramels and half & half in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until the caramels are melted.

I usually press the bottom of a glass lightly into each cookie immediately after removing from the oven after baking, creating a flat cavity with a slight 1/2-inch border around the edge of each cookie (similar to a "Swig" style cookie). Cool the cookies completely before adding the melted caramel.

MY KIDDOS WEAR BRACES. IS THIS CARAMEL GOING TO MAKE THEM CRY?

Nope! This is the silkiest, creamiest caramel ever! You keep these stored at room temperature, which keeps the caramel soft. If you prefer your caramel harder, you can refrigerate the cookies - but all bets are off when it comes to braces!

CAN I MAKE THESE WITHOUT ENGLISH TOFFEE?

Certainly, but you won't believe how magnificent these cookies are when stuffed with little English Toffee Bits in every bite! They "melt" right into the cookies and are so good!

If you prefer your brown sugar cookies with pecans, you can replace the English Toffee Bits with pieces of roasted chopped pecans. Or mix it up and use half English Toffee Bits and half roasted pecans! SO GOOD!

BROWN SUGAR & CARAMEL ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES

These decadent cookies taste even more wonderful than they look! Chewy, brown-sugar cookies bursting with toffee bits, made fresh from scratch. These are good enough to eat alone – but truly decadent with soft caramel drizzled on top and sprinkled with more English Toffee bits or toasted pecan pieces.

Brown Sugar & Caramel English Toffee Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES:
2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup (210g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups English Toffee Bits (Heath Bits o’ Brickle)

CARAMEL FILLING:
1 bag (11 oz.) Soft Kraft Caramels or Werthers Original Chewy Caramels
1/3 cup half & half (plus an additional tablespoon if needed)

GARNISH:
English Toffee Bits or Toasted Pecan pieces

HOW I MAKE THESE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2. Prepare Cookies: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add in the egg, then blend in vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until combined; add remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in English Toffee Bits. You do not need to chill this cookie dough before baking!

4. Scoop dough out with a medium cookie scoop (1-1/2 tablespoons) and shape into balls. Space cookies 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10-11 minutes - edges should be set (cookies will appear puffy and slightly under-baked).

5. Remove from oven and immediately press the bottom of a glass lightly into each cookie, creating a flat cavity with a ½-inch border around the edge of each cookie (similar to a “Swig” style cookie.). You will need to size your glass so that there is a ½-inch border of the cookie that remains. Cool cookies completely before proceeding to next step.

6. Prepare Caramel Filling: Unwrap caramels. Place caramels and half & half in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until caramels are melted; stir well to combine. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of half & half to reach a creamy consistency. Immediately spoon about 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce into the center of each cookie; sprinkle with additional English Toffee bits or chopped pecans.

7. Cool until caramel is set.

8. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

YIELD: 30 cookies

NOTES:
These make LARGE cookies; you can also use a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon) and adjust the baking time to 8-9 minutes.

You can also make these as Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies by simply replacing the English Toffee Bits with chopped pecans. VERY GOOD!

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