Description
These Salted Caramel Cookies offer the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors with a chewy and gooey texture. This easy-to-follow recipe uses simple pantry ingredients combined with salted caramel bits to create irresistibly soft-centered cookies with slightly crisp edges. Perfect for sharing or enjoying on your own, these cookies are a versatile, family-friendly treat suitable for bakers of all skill levels.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (can substitute with gluten-free flour blend for allergy-friendly option)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (or vegan butter for dairy-free version)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs for vegan adaptation)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1 cup salted caramel bits
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly combine the leavening agents and seasonings.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, which helps create a tender and chewy cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract to enhance overall flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or folding in gently with a spatula to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cookies.
- Fold in Salted Caramel Bits: Stir in the salted caramel bits evenly to ensure gooey caramel pockets in every bite.
- Scoop and Bake: Drop generous spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden but centers remain soft.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to set while keeping the centers chewy.
Notes
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent cookies from spreading too much and to intensify flavors.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure even mixing and a smooth dough.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling off instead of scoop-and-sweep for best texture.
- Remove cookies from the oven when edges turn golden but centers look slightly underbaked for a chewy finish.
- Adjust sea salt sprinkle on top to balance the sweetness of the caramel according to your taste preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: salted caramel cookies, chewy cookies, gooey cookies, caramel dessert, easy baking, family-friendly treat