Most amazing cookies ever!

I made THESE amazing cookies last week! They are called

 Salted Caramel Cookie Cups!

  I give credit where credit is due- easybaked.net had an amazing recipe here ... I found it on Pinterest (of course) and immediately went out and bought the stuff to make them 

 (no joke... I bought the stuff that same day! LOL)! 

SO, this blog will include the ingredients and directions with a few adjustments as I made them!  I shared a few of them, and every comment was great: 

 "This is the Sh**!!"

 "these are probably the best cookies I've ever had"

 

 "these are like the cookies you would buy in a gourmet sweets shop!"

So, while I was making them, I captured the steps in pictures! First thing's first though... a picture of the FINISHED product, so you can see that you will want to know how to make them!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of crushed pretzels
  *This is one place where I let the 4 kiddos help- they had a blast!! I gave them spoons so they could smoosh the pretzels into crumbs... YES, I did have to vacuum when I was done! LOL :)
  
•  
• 1 tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
•  
• 6 ounces (1/2 bag) of Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts
  
  *At Walmart, these are found with Cake Decorating stuff- usually with party supplies- NOT with baking stuff in grocery dept
•  
• 32 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
  
  *I let the kids help here too! They LOVED unwrapping the caramels- especially since I let them have some when they were done!
  *I used 35 just to be rebellious!! LOL
  
•  
• 1/2c. butter
•  
• 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk 

 

DIRECTIONS:

• Using your hands, knead 1 cup of pretzel crumbs into cookie dough.

•  Form into 12 balls and place into a greased muffin tin.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes. Remove from oven and press centers into a cup using a mini-tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon.

•  Allow these to cool completely. When cool, gently run a knife around edges and remove from pan.
  *Side note: One of the cookies broke at this point (darn, right?).... so my mom and I ate JUST a cookie- without any of the chocolate or caramel. Just the cookie alone was even awesome!!!
•  
  
• Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth.

•  Dip top edges of cup into melted chocolate and then into remaining crushed pretzels. Pipe any remaining chocolate into the bottom of each cup (save just a little bit to drizzle on the top!) Allow this to harden while you make your caramel. 

• To make caramel sauce: place unwrapped caramels, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan and heat until completely melted. Stir this constantly to prevent scorching. (about 6-8 minutes).
  *exhausting process! LOL
  

  *NOTE: This sauce recipe makes TONS. I even doubled the cookie recipe (because who JUST wants 12 amazing cookies??), but even with double the cookies, I had SO MUCH left over! Great for dipping apples in or pouring over ice cream!

• Spoon caramel into hardened cups.
• Drizzle with more melted chocolate if desired.
• ENJOY!!!

Now, I know you want to go out and buy the supplies, right?? Like I said, I made double the cookies- NOT double the caramel! These were, in my opinion, the best cookies I've ever made and the best cookies I have ever had in my life! 

LOVE

LOVE

LOVE

Much thanks to Pinterest AND to easybaked.net for this recipe that is DEFINITELY a keeper! 

My only BOO on this recipe is that it IS time-consuming! Next time I make them, I think I'll crush the pretzels the night before...and unwrap the caramels the night before too!!