Caramel Cookies
Posted Nov 28, 2022, Updated Feb 07, 2025
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These chocolate chip caramel cookies have crispy edges and chewy centers. They are loaded with caramel & chocolate chips and topped with flaky sea salt for complete cookie perfection. They’re easy to make – no chilling required!
As soon as I mastered the art of making homemade caramels, I knew I had to create a recipe for the best caramel cookies.
These chocolate chip caramel cookies are literal cookie perfection. Loaded with caramel and chocolate chips, they have crispy edges, chewy centers, and are sprinkled with flaky sea salt (also try these caramel cookie bars).
They’re easy to make with simple ingredients, and the dough doesn’t need to be chilled. Also try caramel brownies, carmelitas, butterscotch cookies and toffee cookies.
Caramel Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter. Or, use browned butter for an even richer caramelized flavor.
- Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
- Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar works great in place of light.
- Caramel: I suggest using homemade caramels. You can also use store-bought, you will just need to chop them into smaller pieces. Or, use caramel baking chips.
- Chocolate chips: choose your favorite variety. We prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips. You can use chopped chocolate bars, milk chocolate, white chocolate, etc.
How to Make Caramel Cookies
This recipe is very simple and straightforward. We’ll walk through the steps together and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by combining the dry ingredients, then set them aside.
Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy – about 1 minute.
Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Then, add the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed to combine.
Next, add the chocolate chips and caramel pieces and stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough should be firm but not dry (as pictured below).
Use a 1.5 to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on a baking sheet. Be sure to cover the caramel with dough. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Bake in preheated oven for 8-9 minutes, or until the top is just set and just barely beginning to turn light golden brown.
Do not overbake. The cookies won’t look fully done and that is exactly how they should look (just like this chocolate chip cookie recipe).
Remove the caramel cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle to tops with flaky sea salt.
Then, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store
Once cooled, store chocolate chip caramel cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Freeze
- Freeze the dough before baking. Portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Then place them in an single layer in an airtight container to free.
- To bake: remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 2 hours before baking according to the recipe instructions.
- Freeze baked cookies. To freeze baked cookies, let them cool to room temperature. Then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To thaw: let the white chocolate and cranberry cookies sit out at room temperature until thawed.
Caramel Cookies Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe doubles well. You can click on the “2X” button in the recipe card for ingredient measurements.
Homemade caramels are the absolute best! I suggest making a batch and using a portion of it to make these caramel cookies (or caramel brownies). You can also use store-bought caramels.
The caramel melts as it bakes, which is why it’s important to make sure to form the dough around the caramel so it doesn’t create a puddle of caramel mess!
Yes! It does melt in the oven.
Absolutely, it’s a great substitute for the softened butter. Follow my detailed guide on How to Brown Butter. Then use it in this recipe.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup caramels (cut into small piece, or caramel chips)
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy – about 1 minute.
- Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients, beat on medium speed until combined.
- Add the caramel and chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Use a 1 ½ TBS cookie scoop to measure out portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the two baking sheets (about 8 per sheet). Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8-9 minutes, or until the top is just set and just barely beginning to turn light golden brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Then, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.
- After 5-10 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter. Or, use browned butter for an even richer caramelized flavor.
- Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
- Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar works great in place of light.
- Caramel: I suggest using homemade caramels. You can also use store-bought, you will just need to chop them into smaller pieces. Or, use caramel baking chips.
- Chocolate chips: choose your favorite variety. We prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips. You can use chopped chocolate bars, milk chocolate, white chocolate, etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe and combination worked so well. Cookies came out so good and the whole family loved it! Thank you!
I see this doesn’t need to be chilled, but would it be okay to make the dough the night before baking and chill it overnight?
Yes!
I ended up making these and they were delicious! My only issue was that I have to be more careful with the caramel placement! I ended up having some cookies get burnt or stuck to the parchment paper because I had some pieces of caramel that were not fully covered. The ones that didn’t end up like that were perfect though, I’ll just be more careful making sure the caramel is fully covered next time!
Using smaller pieces of caramel, or caramel bits, also helps solve this problem.
These cookies are so delicious! Thanks for this recipe. Will definitely make them again.
Thank you Michaela!
These were so gooey and yum! The caramel added a delicious layer to an already amazing cookie!
Thank you so much Courtney!
These turned out great! I used the store bought caramel bits since I was short on time.
I’m so glad you love them Sherri! Great tip on the caramel bits!