Eggnog Caramel Surprise Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and granulated sugar and beat until creamy and light, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula so all of the butter and sugar fully integrate. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one, and then the vanilla. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until it forms a soft dough. Using plastic wrap, shape the dough into one log 10 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Bake the cookies: Unwrap and use a sharp knife to cut the logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. In every other cookie, cut a hole about 1 inch in diameter with a small round cutter. Bake the cookies until light golden in color, 12 to 14 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and butter in the bowl of the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and rum and mix until blended.
• Make the dusting sugar: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, nutmeg, cayenne and lemon and orange zests. Set aside.
• Assemble the cookies: After the cookies have cooled, put the icing on the cookies without holes (about 1 teaspoon per cookie) and top each with a cookie with a hole to make sandwiches. Don't press down. Place the tops on gently so the icing doesn't leak out of the sides.
• Make the caramel: Heat the granulated sugar in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the sugar melts. Once melted, do not stir but swirl the pan until the sugar is amber, about 6 minutes.
• Drizzle each cookie with the caramel and top with the dusting sugar.

Steps:

• Lightly spray bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; lightly spray parchment.
• Bring cream, sugar, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan over high, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reads 248 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 13 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in salt, brandy, and spices (it may splatter). Return to medium-high heat and cook until mixture reads 248 degrees on candy thermometer. Pour caramel into prepared baking sheet (do not scrape any browned bits off bottom of pan) and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Using parchment overhang, transfer caramel to a large cutting board. Trim edges, then cut into 1/2-by-2-inch pieces; wrap each piece in waxed paper or foil candy wrappers. Caramels can be stored at room temperature up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Put the almonds and 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until very finely ground, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and process until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape the dough off the inside of the bowl if needed. Add the bourbon and rum and vanilla extracts and pulse until smooth. Add the flour and salt and pulse until the dough forms a ball.
• Roll mounded teaspoons of the dough into balls about 1 inch wide and place on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until the cookies are firm when gently pressed, completely dry and just beginning to crack at the top, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes; they will firm as they cool.
• Meanwhile, put the nutmeg and remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar in a pie plate or wide baking dish and mix well. Toss the warm cookies very gently in the sugar mixture until evenly coated; the cookies need to be warm for the first coating of sugar to stick. Cool the cookies on a wire rack completely, about 30 minutes, then toss again in the sugar mixture so they are very white. Sprinkle with additional grated nutmeg.
• Store the cookies in a little bit of extra confectioners' sugar in an airtight container for up to a week.

Steps:

• Combine the butter and sugars in a mixer until light and fluffy.
• Slowly add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
• Mix in flour, salt, baking soda, clove and nutmeg.
• Cover and chill for 3 to 4 hours.
• While chilling, unwrap caramel squares and cut in half.
• Divide chilled dough into 1/2 tablespoon size balls.
• Flatten the balls between your palms, and place a caramel piece in the center.
• Pull the dough around the caramel piece, and round into a ball.
• Set thickest dough part down on greased cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
• Allow cookies to cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.
• Drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate on top of cooled cookies.
• Enjoy!