Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Salted Caramel-Cashew Cookie Tarts

CakeSpy Note: OMG! It's getting to be that time of year again. The Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off as well as the 46th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited the 47th one early by sharing all of the sweet recipes in the running. You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below to see the recipes posted so far (as well as recipes from previous Bake-Off events). 

In the recipe headnote, these little morsels are described as "A little bit of sugar cookie. A little bit of cashew butter. A little bit of caramel. A little bit of chocolate. AND a little bit of sea salt in one awesome bite! What's not to love?"

Well, I don't have much to offer in terms of argument there. What is not to love? And to boot, it all comes together to form those little tartlets in just 30 minutes (cooling time is longer, but you can wait, I know you can!). This clever recipe comes from Natalie Morales of Oakley, California. Good luck at the Bake-Off!

Salted Caramel-Cashew Cookie Tarts 

• Prep Time: 30 Min
• Total Time: 1 Hr 35 Min
• Makes: 24 tarts

Ingredients

• 1 package Pillsbury Ready to Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies
• 1 1/2 cups chopped salted cashews
• 1 bag (11 oz) caramel bits
• 1/2 cup creamy cashew butter
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In small bowl, place cashews. Coat each cookie dough round with cashews, pressing cashews lightly into dough. Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup; press slightly.
3. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately press handle of wooden spoon in center of each cookie to make 1-inch wide indentation. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Loosen with tip of knife; gently remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramel bits, cashew butter and 3 tablespoons water uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring once, until mixture can be stirred smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon caramel mixture into each cookie cup (cups will be full). Refrigerate about 10 minutes or until caramel mixture is set.
5. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring once, until chips can be stirred smooth. Spoon and spread 1 teaspoon melted chocolate over top of each cookie cup; sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Refrigerate about 10 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store covered.

Comments

[Tawny]

I am in love with these! And the recipe is totally doable. I am going to make these next week for the Walking Dead premiere.