Cookie Butter + Butterscotch Thumbprints

Makes 48 Cookies

Speculoos spice and brown-butter depth, pressed with a glossy butterscotch bourbon caramel center and a touch of gold leaf. Paired to an Old Fashioned: signature bourbon warmth and bitters that echo the caramel and spice.

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp bourbon

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed

¼ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup cookie butter (such as Biscoff or Trader Joe’s)

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

In a small heavy saucepan, combine condensed milk, butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 8–10 minutes. It should fall from the spatula in slow ribbons. Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla extract and bourbon.

Transfer to a parchment-lined plate and cool completely. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Lightly wet your hands and scoop 1-teaspoon portions of the chilled caramel. Roll each into a ball and set on parchment lightly sprayed with cooking spray or brushed with a thin layer of oil.

Beat butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add cookie butter, egg, and vanilla and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients in two additions and mix until combined.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, at least 1 hour or up to 2 months. (Do not skip this step. It keeps the cookies perfectly shaped.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange frozen dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, until the balls have just puffed and settled into a dome shape.

Remove cookies from the oven and quickly press the center of each with the back of a tablespoon measure to form a deep well. Dip hands in water and place a caramel ball into each well, slightly flattening it in place. Return to the oven and bake 9–10 minutes longer, until the cookies are browned around the edges and the caramel looks slightly blistered.

Let cookies cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a rack. The caramel will firm as it cools.