Twix Thumbprint Cookies

Twix Thumbprint cookies are tender, buttery cookies that are topped with the perfect amount of rich caramel and sweet, decadent chocolate. These have all the flavors of your favorite candy bar in a delicious homemade cookie.

You might have fond memories of baking thumbprint cookies with your mom or grandmother, or another special person. Those thumbprints were probably filled with fruity jam like these Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies and saved for a special occasion. You’ll recognize the shape of these Twix Thumbprints, but the caramel and chocolate filling will be a new and surprising twist! 

You can make these Twix Cookies for Christmas, but they are equally as delicious any other time of the year as well. Thumbprint cookies are special because they are made with extra love and care, so they are perfect for gifting or making for your family. 

Need more cookie ideas? Try making Buckeye Brownie Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, or these delicious Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies next! And if you love cookie bars, check out my Homemade Twix Cookie Bars recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. Fun to Make: Thumbprint cookies are always fun to make and fill with yummy things. Kids will love to help you make the indentations in these and drizzle them with chocolate. 
2. Easy Cookie Recipe: This is a pretty basic drop cookie recipe flavored with vanilla, and with my instructions, you’ll have no trouble whipping it up. The caramel filling might be the trickiest part of this recipe, but that’s pretty easy too! Follow along, and you’ll have beautiful Twix cookies in no time.
3. Candy Bar Cookies: I like candy bars, and I love cookies… so this recipe is the perfect combination of two delicious things! 

If you love serving desserts at parties, you should this easy Chocolate Lasagna for your next event!

Key Ingredients

The ingredients for Twix Cookies are your standard baking items plus soft caramels and chocolate chips!

• Butter: Butter is a basic cookie ingredient, and gives this recipe lots of rich flavor. Allow the butter to soften at room temperature. 
• Granulated Sugar: You need to add sugar to make these sweet treats!
• Eggs: This recipe uses one whole egg and one egg yolk. This makes the cookies extra rich. I suggest letting the eggs come to room temp with the butter. They will mix into the cookie dough more smoothly this way.
• Vanilla Extract: The perfect flavoring for sweet recipes.
• Flour and Salt: This shortbread style cookie recipe doesn’t need any powdered leaveners like baking soda or baking powder. Just all purpose flour and a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. 
• Caramels and Heavy Whipping Cream: Melted caramel candies (the rectangular ones that are individually wrapped) are softened just enough with the addition of cream so that the caramel filling is not too chewy. I usually unwrap the caramels earlier in the day so I’m not struggling to do it when I’m trying to bake! Kids can help with this part too. 
• Chocolate: Chocolate thumbprint cookies with caramel must have a delicious chocolate drizzle! Use milk chocolate chips or a milk chocolate bar, chopped up for this part. 

How to Make Twix Thumbprint Cookies

1. Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer, just until mixed. Add the whole egg and beat until fully incorporated, then add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until just mixed. Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour and salt) to the wet ingredients with the electric mixer until a wet dough is formed. 
2. Shape the Cookies: Lay out a piece of parchment on a cookie sheet or flat surface. Spoon out the cookie dough, one leveled tablespoon at a time and then shape each into a ball. Place the balls on the parchment, and press the center of the cookie down with the backside of a tablespoon. Repeat with all of the cookies. 
3. Bake: After you’ve shaped the cookies, freeze them for 30 minutes. This will keep them from spreading in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F/180°C, then remove the cookies from the freezer and place on another baking sheet 2 inches apart, bake for 15-16 minutes. If needed, bake in two batches, keeping them in the freezer until ready. Allow the cookies to cool completely. 

TIP: If the center of the cookies puffs up in the oven, gently press them back down with the spoon. 

4. Make Caramel: While the cookies are cooling, place the caramels and the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the caramel has melted and is smooth. Spoon about a teaspoon of caramel into each cookie. If your pan of caramel starts to harden, warm it back up again. The caramel will set on the cookies in minutes. 
5. Melt Chocolate: Pour the chocolate chips into a small saucepan over low heat, and stir constantly until the chocolate has melted and is smooth with no chunks. Remove from the heat and let the chocolate rest for a minute or until it’s cool enough to touch. 
6. Drizzle: Transfer the chocolate into a small plastic bag or a piping bag, cut off the tip, and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies in a zigzag pattern. Allow the chocolate to set before serving. 

TIP: Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a bit of flaky sea salt to create salted caramel cookies!

Recipe Tips

• To get the cookies to set faster, put them in the freezer after adding the chocolate. They should be ready in 30-60 minutes. On the counter they may take a bit longer. 
• Store these twix cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you need to stack them, put parchment between the layers. 
• Freezing the unbaked cookies is important. If you skip this step, the cookies will spread too much and you won’t have a nice deep pocket to fill with caramel!
• Leave space when baking. When you put the cookies on a cookie sheet to go in the freezer, they can be close together, but when you bake them, place them on a different cookie sheet, with 2 inches between them. They shouldn’t spread much when baking, but leaving room will help them cook evenly.
• Want more Chocolate? Melt extra and dip the bottoms of the cookies in it before placing on parchment and drizzling the tops with more!

FAQs

Enjoy this modern twist on a classic cookie! I just know that your friends and family will be asking you to make Twix Thumbprint Cookies every year, so be sure to save this recipe.