Our local paper hosts a “12 Days of Cookies” contest every year with the prize being a year’s worth of milk from a local dairy. “Salted Caramel White Chocolate Cookies” was a stand out in 2012 and I saved this recipe all year. You know me, though. I couldn’t leave well enough alone and I modified the recipe by swapping out the store-bought caramel sauce with homemade Dulce de leche. (By the way, I entered my Pumpkin-Pecan Spice Cookies this year but didn’t win a thing—not even an honorable mention.)
To make your own Dulce de leche, place the contents of one can of sweetened condensed milk in a pint jar. Screw on lid TIGHT. Place in a slow cooker, cover with water, set on high and cover with lid. (If your crock pot is too shallow, lay the tightly sealed jar on its side.) Let simmer away for about three to four hours. Remove and let cool. You will get the most decadent, dark caramely goodness you have ever seen.
Happiness in a jar!
You will only use 1/3 of a cup of this heavenly stuff in these cookies which leaves you a good amount to play around with. Besides eating it right out of the jar, you can swirl it in homemade vanilla or chocolate ice cream, use it to frost brownies, or put it in an apple pie.
Dulce de Leche White Chocolate Cookies
based on Salted Caramel White Chocolate Cookies2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. dark brown sugar, packed
2 large farm fresh eggs
1 T. pure vanilla extract
1/3 c. Dulce de leche
3 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. baking soda
12 oz. white chocolate chips
Fleur de sel, for sprinklingPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a stand or electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the Dulce de leche. Add in eggs one at a time and then mix in the vanilla extract.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
Using a medium cookie scoop, drop cookie dough on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Press down slightly and sprinkle with a pinch or two of fleur de sel. Bake for about 10-12 minutes and check the cookies to see if they are golden around edges. Cook for a couple minutes longer, if needed, for larger cookies.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
These are the absolutely perfect cookies to leave out for Santa tonight. If you have been a bit naughty this year, you might want to leave him a jar of Dulce de leche and a spoon, too. It might work miracles, who knows?
Dulce de Leche cookies. The background for this pic is a vintage holiday table cloth of my grandmother’s.
OK—it is a tremendously busy season, right?
OK—so no one will judge me if I use this post for the December Food ‘n Flix event?
OK—so I kind of feel like I am whimping out by posting a cookie and not coming up with a spectacular candy cane, maple syrup laden spaghetti dish.
Forgive me and show me some Christmas love.
I had not seen Elf and was pleased when Elizabeth (of The Law Student’s Cookbook) suggested it. I needed a holiday classic to get in the full spirit of Christmas and I needed to “discover my inner elf” as well. How can one not love Will Ferrell? I have to admit, however, that I couldn’t help seeing Ron Burgundy dressed in a green suit. LOL
Cookies for Santa (or whomever ends up eating them).
As I mentioned before, please leave these cookies out for yourself Santa tonight. Poor Buddy: “What about Santa’s cookies? I suppose parents eat those too?”
Have a great holiday and I hope Santa stuffs your stocking!
For all my Food ‘n Flix posts, click here.
Merry Christmas!
(Stay tuned for a big announcement—I am hosting Food ‘n Flix in January!!!!)
What a cool idea to use the crock pot to make that caramel. I like all your suggestions to use it too, particularly on pie. Now that is all I can think about…pie!
Nothing wrong with a Christmas pie, Merry Christmas, Tina!
I’ve actually made caramel that way in the crock before but never would I have thought to use it as such a sweet ingredient. Very cool and delicious I’m sure! Thank you so much for sharing…A Very Merry Christmas to You and Yours. I am so delighted our paths have crossed this holiday season:)
I am delighted as well. The very best to you and yours this holiday season.
Yum! I don’t think Buddy would complain one bit! Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Liz. Hope you and yours had a happy holiday!
Dulce de Leche and white chocolate sound like a heavenly match! They look irresistible, Debra.
Merry Christmas!
Angie
Hope you had a fantastic holiday, Angie.
I am drooling all over my socks, these cookies look very incredible 😀
Happy Holidays!
CCU
Ooh, I hope you didn’t drool on your Christmas stocking! Hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday!
Lovely cookies! Santa would gorge himself. I’m sure he treated you right. 😉 I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
We had a wonderful time! Hope you and Mrs. KR did as well. Here’s to the up come new year.
I didn’t even get a mention either! Cherry Winkies or something like that won over here – they looked great and got the year’s worth of milk. Yours sound wonderful and this recipe is amazing!!
I pinned the winner from Tulsa and they did look delicious too. I will have to check out what won in the Oklahoman. There is always next year for us. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas!
Love dulce de leche!
Us, too!
What!? Your first time seeing Elf! Well, better late than never ;). I’ve always meant to try making dulce de leche this way, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. It looks like perfection. And I adore the sound of these cookies!
Yep, we haven’t seen a lot of holiday films and none of the recent classics. Made The Hubs watch “White Christmas” on Christmas Eve and I thought his head was going to explode. 🙂 Hope you had a great holiday, Heather.
If these cookies didn’t look so very delicious, I would probably be tempted to just eat that jar of caramel! YUM!
Yep, have to admit I had a spoonful!
I have always resisted the urge to make the caramel sauce; however, these cookies do look like a worthy reason to give it a try.
You will have to find a use for the rest of the Dulce de Leche or show more restraint than I have. (Read: Don’t eat it straight from the jar!) 🙂 Hope you had a great holiday, C.J.
It was my first time seeing Elf, too! And though I’m not much of a sweets person, your cookies look delicious!
Thanks, Camilla. I am so over “sweet” at this point of the holiday season! LOL
Cookies are such a great treat for December. These look great!
Thanks for hosting this round of Food ‘n Flix, Elizabeth. Really great pick. (I think I need to watch it again. I’ve lost some of the spirit.) Happy New Year!!!!!
Oooh, I think I am in love with these cookies. Great post–I have made Dulce de Leche in the can in simmering water on the stovetop and it really freaked me out that it might explode. The slow cooker seems like a more nerve-friendly alternative! 😉
Safety first, Deb! LOL Thanks and have a Happy New Year!
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