CASHEW CARAMEL COOKIES

Cashew Caramel Cookies image

Yield makes about 3 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 1/2 cups roasted salted cashews
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
24 soft caramel candy cubes (7 ounces)
1/4 cup heavy cream

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour and salt. Coarsely chop 1 cup cashews; set aside. Process remaining 1 1/2 cups cashews in a food processor until finely chopped. Pour in oil; process until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Put cashew mixture, butter, and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture and reserved chopped cashews.
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 6 minutes; gently flatten cookies. Bake until bottoms are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
Melt caramels with cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring. Let cool. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over cookies; let set. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature in single layers up to 3 days.