My Top Picks

Caramel Cookie Cups

Pretty for a cookie exchange

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 2 c. all-purpose unbleached white flour
  • 14 oz. bag of caramels
  • 1/2 c. evaporated milk
  • mini paper muffin liners

Icing

  • 1/2 c. butter, softened
  • 1/3 c. granulated sugar
  • 1/2 t. vanilla
  • 1/2 c. + 1 Tbls. evaporated milk
  • 1/2 chopped walnuts

Instructions

For cookie cups, mix cream cheese and butter by hand. Add flour and mix until smooth. Chill dough for 1 hour.

Form dough into walnut-sized balls and roll each one lightly in flour. Place each ball into mini muffin pans and press up the sides using a wooden tart maker coated with a little flour (I use the one from pampered chef). Hint: In each cup, bottom should be thin and sides should come up around tart maker.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks lined with paper towel to absorb the grease.

For filling, melt caramels and evaporated milk in top of a double boiler or microwave. When melted, let stand 5 minutes before filling each mini cookie cup. Let cool completely, then add icing.

For icing, in medium-size bowl, beat shortening, butter and sugar. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; beat until fluffy and sugar is dissolved. Using a decorator’s tube, press a “star” of frosting on top of each cup.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Place in mini paper muffin papers if desired.

Store in refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Makes about 45-48 cookies