Salted Caramel Praline Cookies

Ingredients:

for the cookies:

1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda (for high altitude reduce baking soda by half)

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon vanilla or 4 pumps of praline syrup (I used Monin's praline syrup)

1/2 tablespoon 2% milk

1/5 cup candied pecans, chopped finely

for the salted caramel:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup 2% milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped into pieces

1/3 cup water

3/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl. Mix in the egg.

3. Mix until smooth, then add in flour. Stir in baking soda, salt, vanilla/praline syrup, and milk. Mix, then add in chopped pecans. Refrigerate cookie dough while preparing salted caramel sauce.

4. For the salted caramel, heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Add water as needed to prevent crystallization.

5. Let sugar and water heat for 6-8 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

6. Turn off heat, then add milk and butter to sugar and water. Stir until butter melts fully, then mix in salt. Allow to cool for 2-4 minutes. At this point your caramel sauce should look like this:

7. Remove cookie dough from fridge and stir in salted caramel. Be careful not to over stir.

8. Roll dough into balls and arrange on prepared sheet. Make sure to leave enough room between cookie dough balls that they will not meld together when cooked. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookies begin to brown slightly.

9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.