Salted Caramel Coconut Thumbprint Cookies
These buttery coconut shortbread cookies cradle pools of homemade salted caramel for a perfect sweet-salty treat. With crisp edges, tender centers, and that signature thumbprint indentation, they’re an irresistible twist on a classic.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract optional but recommended
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut lightly toasted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar for caramel
- 6 tablespoons butter for caramel
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt like Maldon, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare your workspace and ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Toast the coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden (about 3-5 minutes), watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t rush this step—proper creaming creates that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Add the flavor elements. Beat in the vanilla extract, coconut extract (if using), and egg yolks until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients by gradually adding the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing just until combined. Overmixing will make tough cookies!
- Fold in 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut, reserving the remaining 1/4 cup for garnishing the cookies later.
- Shape the cookies by rolling the dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each). Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Create the thumbprints by gently pressing your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon into the center of each ball, creating a deep indentation. If the edges crack slightly, gently press them back together.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden but the cookies are still pale. Remove from the oven and immediately re-press the indentations if they’ve puffed up.
- Make the salted caramel while the cookies cool. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the sugar without stirring (just swirl the pan occasionally) until it turns amber, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the butter to the caramel carefully (it will bubble vigorously!) and whisk until melted. Then slowly pour in the heavy cream while continuing to whisk. Cook for another minute until smooth, then stir in the teaspoon of sea salt.
- Let the caramel cool slightly for about 10 minutes, until it thickens but is still pourable.
- Fill each cookie indentation with the salted caramel, sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut, and add a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top if desired.
- Allow the caramel to set for at least 30 minutes before serving or storing the cookies.
Notes
- Chilling the dough for 20-30 minutes before shaping can make it easier to work with if your kitchen is warm.
- The cookies can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
- If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought caramel sauce, heated slightly and mixed with a pinch of sea salt.
- For an extra decadent twist, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the set caramel.
- The intensity of coconut flavor will depend on how thoroughly you toast it—lighter toasting gives subtle notes while deeper toasting provides more pronounced flavor.