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    Home » Cookie Recipes

    Sep 11, 2021 by Stephanie Rutherford · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

    5140 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest pin for caramel chocolate chip cookies.

    These caramel chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate chocolate chip cookies! They are both stuffed and topped with soft caramel. These are the perfect cookies that have crisp edges and gooey, chewy, and melty centers. They are topped with flaky sea salt to balance out this sweet cookie.

    Caramel chocolate chip cookie with caramel on top.

    These caramel chocolate chip cookies are the definition of ooey gooey cookies. They are baked with soft caramels in the middle of these cookies.

    When the cookies are baked and warm, they have a super gooey caramel pull! They are honestly SO good!

    If you are looking for more caramel recipes try caramel cheesecake, mini caramel cheesecakes, and caramel apple spice cake.

    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love This
    • Ingredients
    • Step By Step Instructions
    • Baking Tips
    • FAQ
    • Storing and Freezing
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You Will Love This

    • Easy to make- All you need to do is make a chocolate chip cookie dough and wrap them around caramel!
    • Chewy cookie- These cookies are ultra chewy from the caramel center. They still have crisp edges!
    • Caramel center- The best part is that caramel center! It is SOO good. It can be sweet, so that is why I top with flaky sea salt.
    Caramel chocolate chip cookies on a wire rack.

    Ingredients

    Here are some notes about the ingredients used.

    • Butter- Pull the butter out 2 hours before baking. It should be soft
    • Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar.
    • Eggs- Pull these out 2 hours before baking.
    • Chocolate chips- Use a high quality semi-sweet chocolate chip. I like Guittard, Kirkland, or Ghirardelli.
    • Mini chocolate chips- These are optional.
    • Werther's soft caramel- Use these caramels. Use 1 per cookie and then cut up extra for the tops of the cookies.
    Stack of gooey caramel chocolate chip cookies.

    Step By Step Instructions

    Here are the steps to make and bake these cookies.

    STEP 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt. Make sure to use a sifter to get rid of any flour lumps.

    STEP 2: Beat the butter and sugars. Next, use a mixer to beat the butter and sugars. Beat on high for 2 minutes. This will aerate the butter and sugar and make the cookies chewy.

    STEP 3: Add in vanilla and eggs. Then, add the vanilla and eggs. Beat on high for 1 minute. This will also help aerate the batter.

    STEP 4: Mix in the dry ingredients. Mix on low and add in the flour. Then, add in the chocolate chips.

    STEP 5: Fill the cookie dough. Take a 3oz cookie scoop. Flatten the dough ball with you hand. Then, place 1 soft caramel into the center. Fold the dough over the caramel and roll the dough into a ball.

    STEP 6: Chill the dough. Chill the dough for 2 hours. The dough needs to be VERY cold. It needs to be cold to prevent spreading.

    STEP 7: Bake the cookies. Bake these for 13-15 minutes.

    STEP 8: Top the cookies. Top the cookies with cut up caramels, more chocolate chips, and flaky sea salt.

    Cookie batter in the glass bowl.
    Cookie dough in the glass bowl.
    Caramel on top of flattened cookie dough.
    Rolled cookie dough on cookie sheet.

    Baking Tips

    Make sure to really beat the dough. The goal is to get the dough light and fluffy. It creates a very chewy cookie. Don't skip this step.

    If your cookies spread a little in the oven, that is okay! Use a large biscuit cutter and "scoot" the cookies back to a circle shape.

    Do this when the cookies are warm right out of the oven.

    Then, top the cookies.

    If your cookies have caramel escaping from the bottom, keep the cookies on the cookie sheet while they cool. This will keep the caramel inside.

    Bite missing from cookie.

    FAQ

    How can I prevent the cookies from spreading?

    Bake the cookie dough straight from the fridge. They needs to be super cold. Then, bake them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Don't use a silicone baking mat.

    Do I need the sea salt?

    Yes! It helps to balance the sweetness.

    Can I make these cookies with no eggs?

    I have not recipe tested this. If you make this with no eggs, let me know!

    Can I use homemade caramel candy?

    I don't recommend this. The Werther's brand will have thicker caramel in the center. Homemade could also cause more spreading.

    Can I make these cookie dough balls ahead of time?

    Let the cookies chill for 30 minutes. Then, place the cookies in an airtight container. Freeze up to 30 days. Bake straight from the freezer. It will need an extra minute or 2 to bake.

    Storing and Freezing

    Store these caramel chocolate chip cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. They will last up to 5 days.

    Freezing

    Freeze these caramel chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container up to 30 days. Let the cookies thaw for 1 hour before eating.

    Cookies on a wood plate.

    Other Cookie Recipes To Try

    • Pulling a chocolate chip marshmallow in half to see the marshmallow pull.
      Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
    • Close up of peanut butter Nutella cookie in a box.
      Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies
    • Small batch chocolate chip cookies on a parchment paper.
      Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Make sure to leave me a star review below!

    Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.

    📖 Recipe

    Caramel chocolate chip cookie with caramel on top.

    Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Stephanie Rutherford
    These chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with soft caramel in the middle. They are topped with extra caramel and sea salt. These large cookies are extra chewy with crisp edges.
    5 from 23 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 14 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 44 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 22 Large cookies
    Calories 313 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
    • 1 cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
    • ½ cup White granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
    • 2 Large eggs room temperature
    • 1 ¾ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup Mini chocolate chips
    • 22 Soft caramels use Werthers not Kraft

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
      2 ½ cups All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking soda, 1 teaspoon Salt
    • Using a mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together for 2 minutes on high. The butter should be light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and eggs. Mix on medium-high for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl..
      1 cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Brown sugar, ½ cup White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 2 Large eggs
    • Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix until cookie dough is formed. Add in chocolate chips and mix.
      1 ¾ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips, ¼ cup Mini chocolate chips
    • Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a 3oz cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough. Flatten the cookie dough ball into a disc. Fill it with 1 soft caramel. Roll the cookie dough back into a ball. Place on cookie sheet. Fill the rest of the cookie dough.
      22 Soft caramels
    • Chill for 2 hours or overnight. If overnight, cover with foil. Then, let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
    • Place 6 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet and bake 13-15 minutes. It should be lightly golden brown on the edges and slightly under done in the middle. If you have a large biscuit cutter, you can use it to make the cookies circular. Top with little caramel pieces and chocolate chips.
    • Let cookies sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. These cookies are best enjoyed slightly warm.

    Notes

    For small cookies- I prefer this recipe with a large ice cream scoop. It creates bigger cookies with more caramel. If you only have a small cookie scoop, fill the cookies with ½ of a soft caramel. Chill for the same amount of time. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
    Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled in a measuring cup or use a scale. Compacted flour will cause drier cookies.
    High altitude baking- Add 2 tablespoon extra flour
    Butter and eggs- Make sure butter and eggs are room temperature. Pull them out 2 hours before baking.
    CHILLING IS ESSENTIAL! Otherwise the caramel will not stay in the cookie and will melt out.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 187mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 2gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 274IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword best, chewy, chocolate chip cookies, crisp edges, easy, gooey, salted caramel, sea salt, stuffed caramel
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Cookie Recipes

    • Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in a wire rack.
      Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • One Nutella cookie split in half.
      Nutella Cookies
    • One cinnamon toast crunch cookie split in half.
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies
    • Holding a lemon blackberry cookie in my hand.
      Lemon Blackberry Cookies

    About Stephanie Rutherford

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Symone says

      February 15, 2023 at 2:15 pm

      Hello! I noticed on your “best chocolate chip cookie” recipe, you added baking powder and cornstarch. Why not on this recipe? And I ask because I’m wanting to make chocolate chip cookies but add pecans and caramel also. Im not sure whether to use this recipe or the chocolate chip cookie for best results

      Reply
      • Stephanie Rutherford says

        February 16, 2023 at 10:34 am

        These caramel cookies are made using room temperature butter vs the other cookies are made using melted butter, so they need different things. I would add pecans to this recipe! You will love it!

        Reply
        • Symone says

          February 16, 2023 at 2:28 pm

          Will do. Thank you!!

          Reply
    2. Lindsey says

      October 08, 2022 at 10:19 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are so good! I ended up cutting the caramels in half and making smaller cookies. It made quite a lot, good for sharing. Make sure to let them cool long enough before transferring to a wire rack. I had a few that fell through, leaving a hole in the middle of the cookie. Also, when storing, don’t stack on top of each other. They will stick. Maybe put some wax paper in between. Great recipe! I will be making them again soon!

      Reply
    3. Lindsey says

      October 03, 2022 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      I made these cookies over the weekend. Kept some for myself and took some to friends. They are so delicious! I would say the only bad thing is that the caramel gets stuck to your teeth, but not too bad! Be careful not to transfer to a wire rack too soon, or your caramel will fall through. But overall, they taste great and I have gotten positive feedback from those I shared with!

      Reply
    4. Bella says

      February 22, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are so gooey with the caramel!

      Reply
    5. Jacqui C says

      December 15, 2021 at 11:05 am

      5 stars
      These cookies are excellent!
      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    6. Courtney M says

      September 15, 2021 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      I am not one to be attracted to recipes that require chilling the dough. However, these are an exception to the rule! I took to work to share with my colleagues and they were gone during breakfast!

      Reply
    7. Heather says

      September 12, 2021 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      The combination of caramel and chocolate is to die for.

      Reply
    8. Allison says

      September 11, 2021 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Love how soft the cookie is and how the chocolate and caramel just melts in your mouth so good!!

      Reply
    9. Jackie says

      July 07, 2021 at 4:12 am

      5 stars
      Everyone needs to make these cookies! They are so good! Definitely chill the dough even if you are impatient like me haha.

      Reply

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