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Sticky Toffee Pudding Thumbprints

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Sticky Toffee Pudding Thumbprints

These sticky toffee pudding thumbprints are the world famous British dessert, made as a cookie! They have a chewy, date-filled cookie base and a rich, buttery toffee filling. You will have extra toffee sauce left after filling the cookies; but there is literally no downside to this.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces pitted dried Medjool dates
  • boiling water, as needed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup white sugar, or as needed
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

  • Place dates in a small heatproof bowl. Pour in enough boiling water to cover, then stir in baking soda, and soak dates for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, place 1 cup butter in a light colored saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter is browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour browned butter into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Drain dates; add to a food processor or blender, and pulse until mixture is thick and paste-like, with few large chunks of date remaining.
  • To the browned butter, add brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, espresso powder, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice; stir to combine. Add in egg and stir until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add in dates, and stir until thoroughly combined. Add in 1 1/2 cups flour, cornstarch, and baking powder and mix until just combined. Add in remaining 1 cup flour and stir until just incorporated.
  • Pour 1/2 cup white sugar in a small bowl.
  • Scoop out 1 tablespoon dough and roll into a ball; roll in sugar until completely coated. Dough will still be so somewhat soft, but should still roll into a ball. Using your thumb, or the handle of a wooden spoon, spatula, or small whisk, make an indentation in the center, about 1/2-inch wide. Place cookies on a plate. Repeat this process with remaining dough. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Arrange chilled cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake until cookies begin to puff, and small cracks begin to appear, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove cookies from oven, and immediately use the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula to press the center of cookies back down. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • For toffee sauce, place brown sugar, butter, water, molasses, and salt in a heavy-bottomed sauce pot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is boiling. Reduce heat to low and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Carefully pour in cream (mixture will sputter), while continuing to stir. Return to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and lemon juice. Pour into a heatproof glass measuring cup with a pour spout. Allow toffee sauce to cool until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Carefully pour toffee sauce into center of each cookie, taking care to not overfill. Alternatively, you can spoon the sauce into the cookies instead of pouring from a measuring cup. Toffee sauce will thicken as it cools. Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container.

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