Salted Caramel Cookies

Recipe from Chelsea's Messy Apron

 Prep time: 1 hour 

Cook time: 12-14 mins (depends on oven)

Chilling time 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 12 minutes 

Equipment: 

- Blender or food processor

- Parchment paper 

- Sheet pan 15"x10" 

- Cooling rack 

- Stand mixer 

- Medium pot 

Ingredients 

  Cookies

     * 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted 

     * 1/2 cup granulated sugar 

      * 1 large egg yolk 

      * 1 large egg

      * ½ tablespoon vanilla extract 

      * 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose baking flour (Use measuring cup and fill with spoon do not pack cup)

      * 1 teaspoon baking soda 

      * ½ teaspoon fine sea salt 

      * 2 teaspoons cornstarch 

      * 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (lightly packed about 9 sheets)

Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting

     * 4 oz cream cheese (full fat softened) 

     * 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 

     * 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (or ½ cup)

      * 2 teaspoons cornstarch 

      * 1⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

      * 3 cups powdered sugar 

Carmel 

    * 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ cup)

    * 1 cup light brown sugar 

    * 1 cup light corn syrup 

    * One can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (regular not fat free) 

   * ½ tablespoon vanilla extract (add slowly to taste)

    * Soft caramel's optional for topping 

   * Flaky sea salt optional for topping 

Instructions 

  Cookies 

   1. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Set aside like cool to room temp. Hot butter it is added to the sugars will melt sugars and cause greasy cookies. Once butter is cooled pour it into a large bowl. Add brown and granulated sugar. Stir well until it completely mixed together and smooth.

  2.  Add one full egg and egg yolk. Add vanilla and stir until smooth. 

  3. In another bowl toss together flower baking soda ,salt, and cornstarch. Add whole graham crackers to blender or food processor crush up until fine crumbs pack in the measuring cup. Add graham crumbs to dry ingredients and stir everything in combine.

  4. Combined wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined Do not ever mix. 

 5. Using a tablespoon measure 2 tablespoons dough for cookie. Roll dough balls large and tall. Place on parchment paper line plate cover tightly chill for an hour up to four. 

 6. Preheat oven to 325F In line sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Space six cookies for sheet pan (they spread a lot). Baked 10 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges.

Frosting 

  1. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment or large bowl with hand mixer beat the soften not melted cream cheese, softened mascarpone cheese, and softened butter until creamy for about 2 minutes and medium high speed. Add salt and vanilla beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar, gradualy you beating between additions until frosting is soft and creamy. Avoid overbeating or you'll get whipped frosting. 

 2. Generously frost completely cool cookies with table knive. Depending on how generously you frost the cookies it will have some more left over. 

Caramel sauce 

 1. Find butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir consistently until butter is melted ingredents are completely combined. 

2. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring during constantly. Immediately remove from heat.

3. Left a mixture cool for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add vanilla extract in salt taste. Add salt gradually and do to taste.

4. Let the sauce stand to thicken for about 10 minutes, during occasionally, and transfer to a receivable plastic bag. See you without air and cut off the tip with scissors. Type a generous drizzle of caramel over the frosted cookies. If desire, top each cookie with an unwrapped in half soft caramel and a small sprinkle of sea salt flakes.