Caramel Egg(cellent) Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Here’s something I’m not afraid to admit: I get giddy when Easter candy hits store shelves. Like, I squeal in delight when I see it. Even before Valentine’s Day. Easter candy is my most favorite candy. Ever.

Do I dare mention Reese’s peanut butter eggs?

How about Starburst jelly beans?

Mini eggs, anyone? The ones with the crunchy outer shell. Oh goodness.

Lindt. Gold. Bunny?

And, behold, Cadbury mini caramel eggs.

Those caramel-filled eggs are deliciousness wrapped in delicate gold foil. I can’t get over the ooey-gooey-ness of the caramel. You know. Oh, you know.

The mini eggs were just begging me to bake with them. And so I did. These Caramel Egg(cellent) Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are one of the cutest, softest, and yummiest cookies I have ever made. And they’re easy! The hardest part is unwrapping the eggs…and maintaining enough self-control to not eat them. It took a lot for me.

The dough is very simple. When I bake, I like to use room temperature butter and eggs unless the method requires these ingredients be chilled initially. It was no different for these cookies. With room temperature butter and eggs, the dough mixed really well and evenly. So the dough maintained its shape during baking, I did chill the dough about 45 minutes after mixing. Rolling the dough into balls will warm the dough up a bit, so it’s good to have cold dough.

After rolling the dough into 1-inch balls (I used a small cookie scoop to help measure), they get rolled in sprinkles. Sprinkles! I just love the contrast of dark cookie dough and brightly-colored sprinkles. It just screams fun. A thumbprint cookie wouldn’t be a thumbprint cookie without, well, a thumbprint. After the sprinkle-covered dough balls are placed on the baking sheet, gently press the center of each ball with a thumb. Do not press so much that you touch the baking sheet with your thumb; just give them each a nice little press.

Here’s where you’ll need to plan ahead. I would suggest that the eggs are unwrapped before making the dough. The cookies only need to bake 7-9 minutes, and as soon as you pull the cookies from the oven, you’ll need to gently press an egg into each cookie. This needs to happen while the cookies are still warm, so the egg is nestled nicely into place.

Once you get the eggs into place, don’t touch them! The milk chocolate shell will become somewhat soft (but it should maintain its shape) and shiny, so you will want to give them time to set. It took not quite two hours for mine to set at room temperature.

I think these cookies would be extra-cute on an Easter dessert table or gifted in an Easter basket. Imagine the possibilities!

Caramel Egg(cellent) Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Adapted from: The Curvy Carrot

2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 to 2/3 cup sprinkles
About 20 Cadbury Mini Caramel Eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap Cadbury mini eggs and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Add the flour and mix until well-incorporated. Chill the dough for 30-45 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls into sprinkles to coat. Place balls 3 inches apart onto parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Gently press a thumb into the center of each cookie to create an indentation. Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes (until edges are slightly firm). Immediately press a mini egg into each cookie’s center. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Do not touch eggs until set, about two hours. Makes about 20 cookies.