Black Cocoa & Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
There’s just something inherently “autumn” about baking, and salted caramel is the perfect warm, cozy flavour that I’m craving when that chill hits the air. I love a cookie that has a bit of “wow factor” and this recipe is definitely one to keep in mind through fall and into the holiday baking season. The deep, rich colour and smooth flavour of black cocoa in these thumbprint cookies is a tasty contrast to the sweet and salty taste of caramel!
Black cocoa isn’t your typical Dutch-processed variety. It’s the perfect addition to baked goods, especially if you’re looking to create darker colour in cakes or cookies without using dyes or strong food colouring. Although the colour is richer than typical cocoa, black cocoa is actually milder and smoother in taste, making it the perfect complement to stronger flavours, like cherry, orange, hazelnut, or the sweet-and-salty date caramel found in this recipe!
Black Cocoa & Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Recipe by Erin Walker
Dietary Restrictions: Lactose-free, vegetarian
Total Time: 1 hour 20 min | (Preparation): 20 minutes | (Cooking): 1 hour
Yields: 18 cookies
Ingredients
Black Cocoa & Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
● 1/2 cup unsalted Butter, room temperature
● 1/2 cup Golden Sugar
● 2 tsp pure Vanilla Extract, divided
● 1 Egg yolk
● ¼ cup Dark Chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
● 1 cup All-purpose Flour
● ¼ cup The Spice Merchant Black Cocoa
● 12 large Medjool Dates, pitted
● 1 cup full-fat Coconut Milk
Optional
● ⅛ teaspoon flakey Sea Salt (we recommend Maldon)
Instructions
1. To make the cookie dough: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Add butter and sugar to a food processor and blend until creamy and pale in colour, about 2 minutes.
2. Sift together the flour and cocoa. Add to the food processor, along with 1 tsp vanilla, egg yolk and melted chocolate and process until combined and the mixture forms a ball. Add to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour, or until dough is firm.
3. Meanwhile, place pitted dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 15 minutes before draining.
4. Add the dates to a blender along with the coconut milk, remaining vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan. Add maple syrup, taste and adjust sweetness as desired. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat, whisking constantly. Continue to simmer for about 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture has darkened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
6. When the dough has chilled, roll into 1-inch balls and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your thumb to gently press an indent for the caramel into the centre of each ball.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the dough has set. Cool the cookies slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Use a spoon to divide the caramel between cookies. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt, if desired.
What is Black cocoa?
Black cocoa powder put simply is cocoa powder that has been heavily “dutched” or alkalized. Black cocoa powder has a smooth, non-bitter taste compared to other cocoa powders. As the name suggests, it is also much darker in color than natural cocoa powder, so much so it makes everything else it combines with black as well. This super black color is achieved by heavier alkalizing, and no other food colors have been used to create it. This means that black cocoa powder is an amazing natural coloring agent and is perfect for people with food allergies!
Black cocoa powder helps bake the darkest cakes and brownies, it is used in one of the most popular cookies every kid knows- the Oreo! If you find the colour of black cocoa too dark or its chocolate flavour too mild you can always mix it 50/50 with natural cocoa powders, this will still provide the black color, but with an extra punch of chocolate flavor!