Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies feature a perfect balance of sweet and salty with soft caramel chunks nestled inside melty semisweet chocolate, all finished with flaky sea salt on top. They deliver a chewy texture with gooey caramel pockets that don’t leak, making them an irresistible treat for cookie lovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks or chips
- 12 soft caramel squares, cut into small pieces
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Get Ready to Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt thoroughly.
- Make the Cookie Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing. Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chunks and the small caramel pieces evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape and Bake: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about two inches apart to allow spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden but centers still appear slightly soft.
- Finish with Salt and Cool: Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle flaky sea salt over each cookie to add a salty crunch. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes so the caramel sets, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Enjoy! Serve warm for the best gooey caramel experience, perfect alongside a glass of milk or coffee.
Notes
- Use unsalted butter to control saltiness; if using salted butter, reduce or omit added salt.
- Cut caramel squares into small pieces to keep caramel pockets gooey without leaking.
- Chill dough before baking to help maintain caramel pockets and cookie shape.
- Bake just until edges are golden and centers remain soft to avoid hardening the caramel.
- Flaky sea salt provides the best finishing touch, but fine salt can be used sparingly if flakes aren’t available.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat gently to revive gooey texture.
- Try variations with different chocolate types or add nuts for extra crunch.
Keywords: salted caramel, chocolate chip cookies, gooey caramel, homemade cookies, dessert, baking, chocolate chunks
