Ingredients
Intermediate Difficulty
For cookie:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling cookies
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 egg
For buttercream and assembly:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Flakey salt, for garnish
For caramel sauce:
- 48 (10.8 ounces) Werther's Original Chewy Caramels, unwrapped
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
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For cookies: Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using an electric hand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Add molasses and eggs, one at a time, until combined. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Wrap bowl of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Portion dough into 3 tablespoon-sized balls and roll in sugar. Place balls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until cookies are golden-brown and begin to crack on top, about 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 4 to 5 minutes.Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
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For caramel sauce: Meanwhile, combine caramels and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave mixture in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment, until caramels begin to melt, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add cream and salt, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
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For buttercream and assembly: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Sift in powdered sugar and mix slowly until smooth. Add vanilla and ¼ cup of caramel sauce, and mix until combined. Pipe buttercream onto cooled cookies and top each with 1 tablespoon of remaining caramel sauce. Garnish with salt and serve.
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Makes: approx. 16 servings/pieces
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1hr 24 minutes
