Lesson #8: Salted Cashew Caramel Cookies

Yesterday, I was in the mood for a sweet & salty cookie. I found a recipe for salted cashew caramel cookies and it completely satisfied my craving. I was a little skeptical when I first read the recipe. First, there was no leavener (e.g. baking soda or powder) and you had to take out the cookies halfway through, flatten them, and return them to the oven. I thought there were two possible ways this would go (which has happened to me before!): (1) my cookies would be completely flat or (2) they would be as hard as a rock. Surprisingly,  this flattening method worked well (I used the back of a measuring cup) and the cookies were tender and soft. The second reason I was concerned was that the recipe called for a lot of cashews (2 1/2 cups!). I thought the cashew flavor might be too overwhelming. However, to make the cookies, you take a 1 1/2 cups of the cashews (with some oil) and create a cashew butter in a food processor. Then, at the end, you mix in the rest of the chopped cashews. Again, I was surprised! The cookies definitely tasted like cashews, but they also had a rich buttery flavor. Complemented by the sweet caramel drizzle on top, these cookies are fantastic!

LESSON LEARNED: Don't be afraid of different cookie baking techniques!

Recipe for Salted Cashew Caramel Cookies