Description

Enjoy the perfect balance of sweet and salty with these Salted Caramel Cookies. Soft, chewy, and packed with gooey caramel chips and optional chocolate chips, these cookies are topped with flaky sea salt for an irresistible flavor contrast. Ideal for dessert or a special treat anytime.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

Add-ins and Toppings

1 cup caramel chips
½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
½ tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Dry Mix: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later.
Creaming: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with both granulated and brown sugars until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture.
Wet Mix: Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract to enhance flavor.
Combine: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough which can make cookies tough.
Mix-ins: Fold in the caramel chips and optional chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough for gooey pockets of flavor.
Shaping: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to give room for spreading.
Topping: Lightly sprinkle each mound of dough with flaky sea salt to provide a delightful sweet and salty contrast.
Baking: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers remain soft for that perfect chewy center.
Cooling: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they set properly.

Notes

Room temperature eggs help the batter mix more evenly and improve texture.
If caramel chips are unavailable, chopped soft caramels can be used as a substitute.
Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep the cookies tender.
For extra gooey cookies, slightly underbake and allow them to finish baking on the hot baking sheet.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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

Keywords: salted caramel cookies, caramel chip cookies, sweet and salty cookies, chewy cookies, chocolate chip cookies, easy cookie recipe, homemade cookies