Description

These Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies perfectly balance rich, melty dark chocolate with soft, gooey caramel and a hint of coarse sea salt for an irresistible sweet and salty treat. Featuring a soft, chewy texture with crispy edges, this recipe uses simple pantry staples and offers customizable options such as dairy-free and gluten-free adaptations, making it perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free option)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil/vegan margarine for dairy-free)
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add-ins and Toppings

1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips (milk or white chocolate for variation)
½ cup soft caramel bits or chopped caramel candies
Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Gather all measured ingredients to streamline the mixing process.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt for even distribution of the leavening agent and salt, ensuring consistent flavor and texture.
Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a mixer, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. This creates a tender crumb and dissolves the sugars.
Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully combining each before adding the next. Then mix in the vanilla extract to enhance flavor.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing at low speed just until blended. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Fold in Chocolate and Caramel: Gently fold in chocolate chunks and caramel bits with a spatula to evenly distribute pockets of gooey caramel and melted chocolate.
Scoop and Bake: Drop generous tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them to allow for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden but centers remain soft.
Add the Finishing Salt: Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle coarse sea salt on each cookie while still warm to enhance the sweet-salty flavor contrast.
Cool and Enjoy: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This helps them set with the ideal chewy texture.

Notes

Use chilled dough: Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before baking to control cookie spread and intensify flavor.
Choose high-quality chocolate for richer flavor and better melt.
Do not overbake: Slightly underbaked cookies yield a chewy center that firms as they cool.
Use soft caramel bits rather than hard caramel pieces for optimal gooey pockets.
Sprinkle salt after baking to maintain salt crunch and flavor burst.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 190
Sugar: 14g
Sodium: 90mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 24g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 30mg

Keywords: salted caramel, chocolate cookies, chewy cookies, caramel cookies, dessert, gluten-free option, dairy-free option, homemade cookies, sea salt cookies