Caramel Frosted Brown Sugar Drops

Caramel Frosted Brown Sugar Drops

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
Generous 1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. cookie vanilla extract
2/3 c. sour cream
1 c. (4 oz.) chopped pecans or walnuts (divided; optional)

Caramel Frosting

7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 2/3 c. powdered sugar, sifted after measuring
1 1/4 tsp. good vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease several baking sheets or spray
with nonstick.
I bake on parchment and I have pictures below to show you why.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt;
set aside. In a large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat
together the butter and brown
sugar until well blended and fluffy. Add the eggs and cookie
vanilla and beat until evenly incorporated. Lightly beat in half
of the flour mixture. Add the
sour cream and beat until well blended. Stir in the remaining
flour mixture and a generous 3/4 cup of your nuts, if using ,
until evenly incorporated.
Using a heaping 1/8-cup measure or coffee scoop, drop the dough
onto the baking sheets into evenly shaped mounds, spacing about 2
1/2 inches apart. Using a
greased hand, pat down the cookies until flattened on top.
Bake cookies one sheet at a time in the upper 1/3 of your oven
for 9 to 12 minutes. (I bake mine for exactly 10 min.) You want
them barely firm in the middle
when you press on them. Reverse the sheet from front to back half
way through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the sheet to
a wire rack and let stand
until the cookies firm up slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a
spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to wire racks. Let stand
until completely cooled, then frost.

For the frosting:

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until
it smells very fragrant and
turns slightly golden, about 3 minutes; watch carefully. Stir in
the brown sugar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in 2
1/2 tablespoons of hot
water and the corn syrup until the mixture is well blended and
the sugar dissolves. Vigorously stir in the powdered sugar and
vanilla until well blended and
completely smooth. Set the frosting aside stirring occasionally,
until it cools and stiffens just enough to spread, maybe 2 to 4
minutes.
Set the wire racks with the cookies over wax paper to catch
drips. Using a small, wide-bladed spatula, spreader or table
knife, generously swirl the cookie
tops with the frosting. If nuts were added to the dough, sprinkle
a few of the remaining nuts over the top of each cookie and
pressed in gently just a little
bit. (If at any point the frosting stiffens too much to spread,
stir in just enough hot water to make it spread able.) Let the
cookies stand until the
frosting sets, about 45 minutes.
Store in a single layer or layered with wax paper in an airtight
container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. ( I will
be freezing these, they freeze wonderfully.)