Oatmeal Fudge Thumbprint Cookies

Take your baking skills to the next level with these fudge-filled, walnut-textured, oatmeal cookies. The thumbprint nest can be made by pressing your thumb in the center of the dough ball and manipulating the dough by hand. For more uniform craters, use the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon, or a half-teaspoon measuring spoon as seen on My Danish Kitchen. To make a heart shaped thumbprint cookie try this technique by Munchkin Munchies.

 

Ingredients:
Cookie Dough:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups Coach’s Oats®
1 3/4 cups walnuts (we used CA Walnuts)

Fudge:
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Chop 1 1/2 cups walnuts. Chop finely or grind remaining 1/2 cup. Set walnuts aside.

3. In medium bowl cream butter and sugars.
4. Add eggs and vanilla and combine.

5. In large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
6. Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Beat until just combined. Do not over mix.
7. Add oats and both textures of walnut pieces and stir by hand. Set dough aside.

8. Create fudge mixture.
9. In small sauce pan add condensed milk and chocolate chips.
10. Melt on low heat, stirring frequently. Set fudge aside.

11. Roll dough into small balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. 

12. Create thumbprints, or nest-like craters, in dough balls. Flatten with back of spoon.

 

13. Spoon-drip fudge into cookie craters. Fill each crater completely.

14. Bake for 10 minutes.

15. Cool cookies for 1 minute. Transfer to cooling rack.