These Cashew Caramel Cookies are a shortbread cookie made with ground cashews, butter, and brown sugar for a crispy, deep caramel like flavor in the cookie. The final touches are a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkling of grey sea salt, turning the cookie into a special treat that is a delight to eat!

I’m a huge fan of shortbread cookies and these Cashew Caramel Cookies with their buttery, sweet, nutty crunch and love them to enjoy them with an afternoon tea. They are also a great cookie to include on a holiday cookie trays, right next to these Italian Christmas Cookies to give as a food gift, or just because!

A Variety Of Cookie Recipes 

If you searched cookie recipes on this website, you would find that I have plenty of recipes for all kinds of them. That is because a cookie is my first choice for dessert or sweet snack. While I like cakes, cupcakes, and brownies, cookies are my go to because they are easy, and usually not too much work.

When I first made these Cashew Caramel Cookies I knew I had a winner. I love the melt in your mouth cookies like these are and the salt and caramel give it an adult feel that makes it special! 

What You Need To Make These Cashew Caramel Cookies

Butter

Unsalted Roasted Cashews

Brown Sugar

Eggs

Caramels, these are my favorite!

Fleur de Sel (aka Grey Sea Salts)

Parchment Paper

Cookie Scoop

Large Baking Sheet

Tips and Substitutions

• Use a mini food processor or nut chopper to finely process the cashews
• Gently flatten the cookies when they are placed on the baking sheet. Otherwise they will not spread out.
• Eliminate the fleur de sel and use roasted salted cashews in place of the unsalted.
• Substitute a caramel sauce (like this one) for the caramel drizzle. Be sure to only drizzle the cookies with sauce before eating.
• Make ice cream sandwiches with these Cashew Caramel Cookies, just put the caramel drizzle on the ice cream! They are great with a caramel swirled vanilla ice cream.

Other Cookies You May Enjoy

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Chewy M&M Cookies

Soft Blueberry Cookies

Chewy Mocha Toffee Chip

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut Gingerbread Cups

Hazelnut Browned Butter Shortbread

Nanny’s Sugar Cookies with Orange Moscato Frosting

Zucchini Spice Cookies

*If you made these Cashew Caramel Cookies, please give them a star rating*

Yield: 24

Cashew Caramel Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

A brown sugar shortbread cookie with cashews and caramel drizzle.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups unsalted roasted cashews
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 ounces caramel candy
• 1 tablespoon half and half

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and mix with salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Coarsely chop 1 cup of cashews. In food processor (or in mini food chopper) process remaining 1-1/2 cup cashews until finely chopped. Pour in canola oil and process until smooth.
3. Put cashew mixture, butter, and sugars in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture and reserved chopped cashews.
4. Using either a 1-1/2 inch ice cream scoop (or as I did, a tablespoon, and roll the dough in your hands into balls), place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 6 minutes; gently flatten cookies. Bake until bottoms are golden, 6-7 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
5. Mix the caramel bits and half and half. Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Drizzle over top of cooled cookies.

Notes

Tips and Substitutions

• Use a mini food processor or nut chopper to finely process the cashews
• Gently flatten the cookies when they are placed on the baking sheet. Otherwise they will not spread out.
• Eliminate the fleur de sel and use roasted salted cashews in place of the unsalted.
• Substitute a caramel sauce (like this one) for the caramel drizzle. Be sure to only drizzle the cookies with sauce before eating.
• Make ice cream sandwiches with these cookies! They are great with a caramel swirled vanilla ice cream.
• The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temp in single layers 3 days – or do as I will and store them in the fridge with parchment paper between to stop them from sticking to each other!

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 116Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 19mgSodium 65mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 0gSugar 9gProtein 2g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy but will vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients you use. Please consult with your doctor regarding specific health needs.

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