When it comes to indulgent cookies, these chewy chocolate-based cookies with gobs of sticky caramel and melty chocolate chips take the cake! Plus, these Chocolate Caramel Cookies are simple, requiring just one bowl and 30 minutes to make.
After perfecting the recipe for my Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips, I’ve been using the same simple, chocolatey, and perfectly chewy cookie dough base recipe to create more fun flavor combos (see also: Rocky Road Cookies!).
The recipe is basically foolproof and requires no chilling time, guaranteeing a successful cookie for even beginner bakers!
Caramel Chocolate Cookies Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Butter. Unsalted is my preference but you can use salted and omit the added salt.
- Granulated sugar.
- Egg.
- Vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour.
- Cocoa powder. I use dark.
- Baking soda.
- Salt. Table salt for inside the dough and optional flaky sea salt for on top.
- Chocolate chips. I use dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet work, too.
- Chewy caramels. I use Werther’s Original. Make sure the packaging specifies that they are chewy caramels, not hard candy!
How to Make Chocolate Cookies with Caramel
A Note on the Caramel
There are several brands of caramels you can pick up, but the key is making sure they are plain chewy caramels. You don’t want hard candy, or the caramels with the cream center.
Depending on the caramels you buy, you may need to chop them into smaller bits.
I usually just buy the Werther’s Original Chewy Caramels and cut them into thirds. This can easily be done with a sharp knife.
Bear in mind that they are sticky, so it’s best to keep them spread out on your chopping board until you are ready to use them, rather than pile them on top of each other in a bowl where they will likely stick together.
How to Make a Simple Chocolate Cookie Dough
Start by creaming the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer. In order to achieve this quickly and easily, your butter must be softened.
If you don’t have the time to let your butter come to room temperature naturally, check out How to Quickly Soften Butter.
Next, mix in your egg and vanilla extract. This should easily combine with your softened butter with the hand mixer on medium. Try not to overbeat here.
Then, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix one last time to combine with the hand mixer. Grab a rubber spatula and scrape any dry ingredients left on the insides of the bowl to integrate it.
Finally, you’ll fold in your chocolate chips and caramels. I like to keep about a dozen pieced of caramel out so I can push one into the top of each cookie!
How to Bake Your Caramel Cookies
Use a large cookie scoop or 2 heaping tablespoons of dough to shape your cookies. Push just one caramel piece into the very center of the top of each cookie (optional).
You want to make sure to leave some room in between each cookie to allow for a small amount of spreading. This means you will probably only be able to bake 6 cookies at a time max.
If you want to bake all 12, you may want to do so in two shifts, as I recommend baking them on the top rack. I use a large baking sheet lined with a reusable silicone mat. You can also use parchment paper.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. When you take them out, if you notice any pools of caramel spilling out of the sides of the cookies, simply use the curvature of a spoon to push the caramel back into the cookie whiles everything’s still hot.
If you want to add flaky sea salt, do so when they’re still hot out of the oven.
Once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before enjoying or moving to a plate. If you try to pick them up too early, they may fall apart.
Storing Chocolate Caramel Cookies
When covered or stored in an airtight container, these cookies will last for 5-7 days at room temperature or up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Quick tip: Storing your cookies with a piece of bread will keep them softer and chewier. Moisture from the bread.
You can also freeze them for up to a year once they’re baked, but I highly recommend freezing the unbaked cookie dough instead. More on that below.
Green tip: Of the billions of tons of food wasted annually, 50% of food waste happens at home. Reduce your contribution to food waste by properly storing baked goods!
How to Freeze Cookie Dough for Later
If you want these chocolate caramel cookies at the drop of a hat, I highly recommend only baking what you want, and freezing the rest of the cookie dough.
Shape all of the dough, but simply bake only as many as you want in the moment. Store the rest of the shaped dough in a freezer safe storage bag (consider reusable storage bags for a more sustainable option!) for up to a year.
You can bake them straight out of the freezer but watch them closely—you’ll likely need to add a couple extra minutes to the baking time.
You’ll also notice that the frozen dough will not spread the way the fresh dough does so you’ll be left with super-thick cookies.
You may want to use a spatula to push down on the cookies to flatten them out when they are fresh out of the oven and still hot.
30-Minute Chewy Chocolate Caramel Cookies
PIN Print RATEEquipment
- Large Cookie Scoop (optional)
- Reusable Baking Mat (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (½ cup = 1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup chewy caramels (½ cup usually = about 10 caramels)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet)
- optional flaky sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat.
- To a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and sugar. Use a hand mixer on high to cream together until light and smooth (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and use your hand mixer on low to combine.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and mix to combine, careful not to overbeat. Use a spatula to scrape any flour off the sides of the bowl and integrate it into your dough.
- Chop your chewy caramels into little pieces, about ½-inch long. Set aside 12 little pieces of caramel to press into the top of the dough once the cookies are formed. Add the rest to your dough along with the chocolate chips and use a rubber spatula to fold to combine.
- Use a cookie scoop or clean hands to shape 2 heaping tablespoons of dough into a ball and place it on your lined baking sheet. Leave a couple of inches in between each cookie for the dough to spread. Press one piece of caramel into the top of the cookie right in the center.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are crispy to touch. If any caramel spills over the sides of the cookies, use the curved part of a spoon to push the caramel back in towards the cookie. Option to add extra flaky sea salt on top. Allow to cool and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- You can freeze excess cookie dough before baking it to give you fresh baked cookies every time when the craving hits! Just bake them as normal straight out of the freezer.
- Chocolate lover? Me too! You’ll love the collection of my best chocolate recipes!
