I call these “my signature cookie”, but I should probably just rephrase that to “my favourite cookie”. Could this be because I love cashews, caramel and cookies? Most probably… As a warning, these generally do not travel well, as the caramel tends not to solidify enough to stack them conveniently. If you’re storing them, I’d suggest separating them with pieces of parchment paper or waxed paper.
Caramel Cashew Cookies
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c roasted, salted cashews
2 tbs plus 1 tsp. canola oil
1 stick (8 tbs) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
24 cubes soft caramel candy (7 oz.)
1/4 c heavy cream
1. Preheat oven to 350oF and line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift flour and salt together.? Coarsely chop 1 c cashews; set aside. Process remaining 1 1/2 c cashews in a food processor until finely chopped. Pour in oil. Process until mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes.
3. Put cashew mixture, butter, and sugars into a large bowl; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and? gradually add flour mixture. Mix in reserved chopped cashews.
4. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; space 2 inches apart the prepared baking sheets. Bake 6 minutes; gently flatten with a spatula. Bake until bottoms are just golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
5. Melt caramels with cream in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring. Let cool until it is about the consistency of honey. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over cookies; let set. Store airtight in single layers.
NOTE: These cookies are a bit difficult to store (due to the caramel drizzles). If you are storing them in layers, it is best to separate them with waxed paper. They also store well in the refrigerator or other cool environment.
Makes about 30 cookies
