Reader Query: Caramel-Stuffed Cookies?

Alicia, a longtime reader and fellow blogger (over at The Slacker Kitchen), wants to try flavor variations on my stuffed Golden Girls cookies. She asked:

“Have you thought about filling the Golden Girls with caramel?”

Caramel's a difficult ingredient to use as a cookie filling. If the caramel is really liquid (like a jarred caramel sauce), it will get absorbed into the cookie. If the caramel is too hard (like a Sugar Daddy candy), the stuffed center of the cookie will be really, really crunchy (and could potentially ruin any dental work you might have). But fear not! I have a trick for those of you jonesing for a caramel-stuffed cookie.

I haven't tried those individually wrapped caramel cubes/chews, but I think they might be a little too tough to work as a cookie filling. Rolos are chocolate-coated caramel candies that stay soft yet semisolid at room temperature, and they work really well. I've used Rolos successfully in my The Girl Scouts Are Gonna Be Jealous and Chocolate & Salted Caramel cookies. So I'd stick with the Rolos.

I haven't done a caramel-stuffed version of my Golden Girls. Give 'em a try, Alicia, and let me know how they turn out!

Comments

[Alicia]

Well, I've got my caramels. Unfortunately, I have no graham crackers. I am going to see how Vanilla Wafers act as a substitute. I'll let you know.

[Alicia]

Greg!

I feel like Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius! I found Werther's Chewy Caramels for $1 a bag. I figured these would be perfect cut in half and inserted with the cream cheese filling. I added roughly 1/3 c. cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. The vanilla wafers substituted beautifully. These cookies are seriously tasty!!!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hey, Alicia. Yay...I'm so glad they came out so good! I was a little worried that the caramels might bake up a little hard, but it's really good to know they'll work in cookies. And good use of vanilla wafers. Congrats! :-)

[Alicia]

Thank you!

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks to you, I now know that Werther's Originals work well in cookies. I'll have to think of some new recipes to incorporate this "new" ingredient.