Decadent Cashew Thumbprint Cookie with Dulce de Leche Stars

Beautiful to look at - better to eat - these may appear as though you took all day to make them but that is only an optical illusion. Just a few different ingredients than the traditional thumb-print cookie, these will surely have you taking bows long after the last cookie has been consumed by happy guests. 

 ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

 1 egg

 ½ tsp vanilla extract

 ¼ tsp salt

 1 1/3 cups all-purpose

 1 egg white

 1 tsp water

 1 ½ cups salted cashews, chopped 

 1 ½-2 cups dulce de leche (depending on how much you fill, see recipe below) 

■Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

■Add egg, vanilla extract, and salt to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until fully combined.

■Add in flour, beat on low until fully combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

■Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

■Using a fork, beat together egg white and water in a small bowl. Place cashews in a separate bowl.

■Remove dough from fridge and shape into 1-inch balls. Dip balls in egg white, allowing excess to drip off. Roll dough balls in cashews to coat.

■Transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. Using a 1-tsp measure, or your thumb, make an indentation in each cookie. 

Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set, 12-13 minutes. I like to at this time repress my thumb or tsp measure to make the indentation really big in the cookie when the cookies come out of the oven. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.  

When cookies are cool, pipe dulce de leche into the indentations. I like to make little stars for the holidays. 

Dulce de Leche 

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 

Fill a large stockpot with cold water. Remove the label from the can of milk, and do not open the can. Place the can in the center of the pot; be sure that the water completely covers the can. 

CAUTION: The can becomes pressurized when cooking, so for safety reasons, don't allow the water to boil vigorously. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2-2 hours for runny dulce de leche, or up to 4 hours for more solid consistency, adding more water, as necessary, when the water level decreases. 

Remove the can with tongs, and cool 15-20 minutes. Carefully pierce the top with a can opener. The tan or brown caramel will ooze slightly from the can when opening. Transfer to an air-tight container, with the lid off, to cool completely. Store refrigerated for up to two weeks. 

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