I love chocolate.

It’s not the same love I have for a particular pair of Prada platform shoes or the way I covet and love the warmth of summer sun. Or sleep. Or even air.

Oh noooooo. It’s a guilty, sort of illicit kind of love. It’s tempting and at times all consuming, like when I know my favorite Triple Chocolate Cookies are waiting for me in an air tight container, in my chandeliered pantry, just out of eye sight. How I crave those wanton cookies.

I know I am not alone in this love affair. There are others of you out there. Some of you even help justify this love, like when my husband begs for me to bake Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake or Chocolate Chip Cookies with my “special” chocolate chips (stay tuned…). But you know what the real problem is? Chocolate calls my name… and implores me to not leave it lonesome in the pretty pantry, as evidenced by the enticing cookies below.

Chocolate reciprocates my love.

And I happily oblige.

Chocolate & Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

source: food.com

Cookies:

• 1/2 C butter at room temperature (do not even try to use margerine)
• 2/3 C sugar
• 1 egg, separated, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 C flour
• 1/3 C cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 C finely chopped pecans

Filling:

• 12-14 caramels
• 2 Tbsp whipping cream

Drizzle:

• 1/2 C dark chocolate chips

• Cream the butter and sugar for three to four minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt to get rid of any lumps. Add to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about two hours, or until the dough is cold enough to work with. It’s really sticky at room temperature.
• Once the dough is chilled beat the egg white in a small bowl.
• Roll the cookie dough into about 20-24 balls. Dip each ball into the egg white then roll in the chopped nuts.
• The cookies don’t spread a lot, so place them about 2″ apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Make an indentation in each cookie using a small thimble or end of a wooden spoon. Even your thumb will work.
• Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. Do NOT overbake. You might have to punch down the indents if they have puffed up while baking.
• Place on wire wracks to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy sauce pan, melt the caramels with the cream over low heat (don’t burn!). Stir until smooth.
• Fill each indented cookie with caramel.
• Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Drizzle over the cookies

Notes:

• I tripled this recipe. I suggest you do too! If you don’t eat all the cookies yourself they make great gifts.
• You might want to store the baked, uneaten cookies in the freezer. That way they can’t call you as loudly as from the pantry.
• Just a side note: My relationship with my treadmill is directly proportionate to my relationship with chocolate (do not misread proportionate as passionate). The harder I love chocolate the louder the treadmill calls my name.
• If you really want to know: each cookie has about 157 calories, 9 g fat, and 17 g carbs.