It’s been over a month since my last Cooking with Gracie post. We skipped doing a recipe in October due to my surgery, recovery, and the start of school. All of that is behind us now (thank goodness), which means we can move onto more fun adventures – like cooking and baking.

For those of you who may not remember, Gracie wants to be a chef when she gets older, and since we homeschool, we’re incorporating cooking/baking days into our Fridays (since we take those days off from the rest of the school work). She’s been loving it. In fact, she’s going to help me bake something else in the kitchen today for the potluck tomorrow. 

Grace and I actually made this shortbread a few weeks ago. You may of seen some pictures on Instagram of her slicing butter and making caramel. I haven’t posted the recipe before today because we were in full-on Thanksgiving mode around here.

We’re switching gears today and instead of Thanksgiving were talking Christmas cookie exchange. I’ve never taken part of a Christmas cookie exchange.  I’ve always wanted to, but no one I know really does that (maybe I should start one!). I do know that it is a popular tradition this time of year. I also know that shortbread is a great cookie for exchanges, and it also happens to be one of my  husband’s favorites, something I just learned about six months ago.  You see, 11 years of marriage and I’m still learning new things about that husband of mine!

This caramel shortbread is such a fun treat to make and a nice escape from the usual cookie. The cookie crust reminds me of a flaky pie crust, because it crumbles slightly after each bite. The caramel is smooth and creamy, and the chocolate adds a nice slightly salty and sweet flavor.

Whether you’ve got a Christmas cookie exchange to participate in or need a quick treat to whip up for your next get together with friends, this caramel shortbread will please everyone and keep them coming back for one more bite.

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Caramel Shortbread

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 32 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes

The buttery flavor and crumbly texture you love about shortbread paired with gooey caramel and chocolate is the perfect treat for the holiday season.

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Ingredients

Base:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 4 oz butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour

Caramel Topping:

• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 oz butter, diced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp dark corn syrup

Chocolate Topping:

• 3 oz white chocolate
• 3 oz dark chocolate

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 7x11 pan with parchment paper.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and mix until combined. Press the mixture over the base of the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool.
3. Place the caramel topping ingredients in a saucepan. Place over a low heat until dissolved and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring continuously, for 10-12 minutes-taking care to not allow the caramel to burn.
4. Pour the caramel topping over the base. Allow to cool completely. Melt the chocolate in separate bowls over a double boiler. Pour the dark and white chocolate over the caramel and swirl together with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool and set and then cut into squares.

Notes

Recipe from Cookbook for Girls

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 175mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 0gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information isn't always accurate.