These sumptuous chocolate cookies with caramel chips share the same beloved fudgy base as my popular inside out chocolate chip cookies. However, instead of being loaded with classic white chocolate chips, this unique recipe elevates the experience by incorporating rich salted caramel baking chips. I sourced my preferred chips from Trader Joe’s, known for their quality, but you can readily find similar delicious caramel baking chips at most local grocery stores, ensuring these cookies are accessible to everyone.

Not only are these fudgy brownie-like cookies incredibly delicious, but they are also remarkably easy to make. One of the best aspects of this recipe is that it requires absolutely no chilling time for the dough, which means you can go from craving to enjoying warm, freshly baked cookies in under 25 minutes. This makes them an ideal choice for spontaneous baking or when you need a quick yet impressive dessert.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Chocolate Caramel Cookies!

• These cookies offer the perfect balance of salty and sweet, a truly irresistible combination. The star of the show, salted caramel baking chips, infuse every bite with a delightful butterscotch-like flavor and a crucial hint of saltiness. For an even more pronounced contrast, I recommend adding an extra pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each baked cookie. This simple garnish enhances the flavor complexity and adds a beautiful, professional finish.
• Say goodbye to long waits! You don’t need to chill the dough, making these cookies a game-changer when you need a quick dessert. This convenient feature means you can enjoy warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookies in less than half an hour, perfect for unexpected guests or sudden sweet cravings. It’s a truly instant gratification recipe that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture.
• This recipe relies on simple, everyday ingredients that are likely already staples in your pantry. You won’t need to hunt for exotic items, making these cookies an approachable baking project for bakers of all skill levels. The ease of ingredient access means you can whip up a batch whenever the mood strikes.
• Experience the best of both worlds with these chocolate cookies: they are super fudgy on the inside, reminiscent of a rich brownie, yet boast deliciously crisp edges. This textural contrast, from the chewy, molten center to the slightly crunchy exterior, is what makes these cookies exceptionally satisfying and truly memorable.
• Minimal cleanup is a baker’s dream! These chocolate caramel cookies are designed to be made in just one bowl. This streamlined process reduces the number of dishes, allowing you to spend less time scrubbing and more time savoring your delicious creations. It’s the ultimate hassle-free baking experience.

Essential Ingredients for Your Fudgy Caramel Cookies

• All-Purpose Flour: For this specific recipe, I have exclusively tested with standard all-purpose flour. Using a different type of flour, such as whole wheat or gluten-free alternatives, may significantly alter the texture and consistency of the cookies. Always measure your flour correctly to avoid dry or overly dense cookies – refer to my baking tips section for precise measuring techniques.
• Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: The deep, rich chocolate flavor in these cookies comes from Dutch processed cocoa powder, not natural cocoa powder. The difference lies in how they are treated: Dutch processed cocoa is treated with an alkali to reduce its acidity, resulting in a darker color and a milder, less bitter chocolate taste. To confirm what you have, check the ingredients label; if it mentions “alkali” or “acidity regulator,” you have Dutch processed. Using natural cocoa powder would react differently with the leavening agents and affect the final texture and rise.
• Sea Salt Caramel Chips: These chips are the heart of the “caramel” in our chocolate caramel cookies. I highly recommend the salted caramel baking chips from Trader Joe’s for their exceptional flavor and melt. However, you can also find excellent caramel chips from brands like King Arthur Baking Company or Hershey’s at most grocery stores. If you’re feeling adventurous or can’t find caramel chips, butterscotch baking chips make a fantastic alternative, offering a similar buttery, sweet profile.
• Unsalted Butter: The quality of your butter profoundly impacts the taste and texture of your cookies. I consistently use European-style unsalted butter, such as Kerrygold, which boasts a higher butterfat content compared to American-style butter. This higher fat percentage contributes to a much creamier, richer flavor and a more tender crumb in your baked goods. Ensure your butter is at room temperature for optimal creaming with the sugars.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are your essential leavening agents, responsible for the cookies’ soft, chewy texture and slight rise. For consistent results, it’s crucial to ensure both your baking powder and baking soda are fresh and active. Always check their expiration dates; expired leaveners will result in flat, dense cookies.
• Kosher Salt: Salt is not just for seasoning; it enhances all the other flavors in your cookies and perfectly balances the sweetness. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt in my baking due to its flaky texture and moderate salinity. It’s important to note that coarse kosher salt (like Morton) is significantly saltier by volume, so if you’re using a different brand, you may need to adjust the amount, or ideally, halve the amount if using fine salt to avoid over-salting.

Easy Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Perfect Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugars. Begin by ensuring your oven is preheated to 350°Fahrenheit (175°Celsius) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, either in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, combine your softened unsalted butter with the white sugar and light brown sugar. Beat these ingredients together on medium-high speed for approximately 2 minutes. This creaming process is crucial as it incorporates air into the butter and sugar mixture, which contributes to the cookies’ light and fluffy texture. You’ll notice the mixture will become visibly lighter in color, turning a paler shade of brown, and achieve a creamy, aerated consistency.

Step 2: Incorporate Egg and Vanilla. Once the butter and sugars are light and fluffy, stop the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to thoroughly scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated. This step prevents any unmixed pockets in your dough. Next, add the large room-temperature egg and the vanilla extract to the mixture. Beat again on medium speed for another 1 minute. Continue mixing until the egg and vanilla are fully combined, and the mixture appears smooth and homogenous.

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients. Stop the mixer once more. Carefully add all of your pre-measured dry ingredients directly into the wet mixture: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and Dutch processed cocoa powder. Begin beating on a very low speed to prevent the dry ingredients from flying out of the bowl and creating a mess. Mix until just combined. Overmixing the flour can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough cookies. You might need to stop the mixer periodically and use your rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the dough. If using a hand mixer in a large bowl, make sure your bowl is adequately sized to contain the expanding dough.

Step 4: Fold in Caramel Chips. Once the dough is uniformly mixed and no streaks of dry ingredients remain, it’s time for the star flavor! Gently fold in your salted caramel baking chips using a rubber spatula. Avoid using the mixer for this step, as it can break the chips and overmix the dough. I personally love to reserve a small handful of caramel baking chips to press into the tops of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven; this creates a beautiful “bakery-style” appearance and ensures gooey caramel pockets on top.

Step 5: Scoop and Bake. Using a cookie scoop (I recommend this 2-tablespoon scoop, using heaping spoonfuls to ensure generous cookies), portion out about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie. Place the scooped dough balls onto your parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Ensure you leave at least 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for proper spreading during baking; typically, I bake 6 cookies at a time per standard baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated 350°Fahrenheit (175°Celsius) oven and bake for 11-14 minutes. The exact baking time may vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. The cookies should look set around the edges but still appear slightly soft and gooey in the center.

Step 6: Finish and Cool. As soon as the cookies emerge from the oven, while they are still warm and soft, gently press any remaining caramel baking chips onto their tops. This step not only adds visual appeal but also enhances that delightful burst of caramel flavor. Immediately after, sprinkle a generous pinch of flaky sea salt over each cookie to further elevate the sweet and salty contrast. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for approximately 15 minutes. This crucial cooling time allows them to set and firm up, preventing them from breaking when transferred. After 15 minutes, carefully move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. While they are delicious warm, cooling them fully helps to develop their perfect fudgy texture. Enjoy your perfectly baked chocolate caramel cookies!

Pro Baking Tips & Tricks for the Best Chocolate Caramel Cookies

• Precise Measuring with a Scale – For truly consistent and professional-level baking results, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of using a kitchen weighing scale. Measuring ingredients, especially flour, the metric way (in grams) is by far the most accurate method. This eliminates discrepancies that can arise from packing flour differently into measuring cups, ensuring your cookies turn out perfectly every time.
• The “Fluff and Sprinkle” Method for Flour – If you don’t have a kitchen scale and are relying on measuring cups, it’s vital to use the “fluff and sprinkle” method for flour. First, fluff up the flour in its container with a spoon or fork. Then, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, and level it off with a straight edge (like the back of a knife) without packing it down. Avoid scooping directly with the measuring cup, as this compacts the flour and can add up to 25% more than intended. Too much flour will lead to dry, crumbly cookies instead of the desired soft and chewy texture! Find more details on this method here.
• Room Temperature Ingredients – Always ensure all your cold ingredients, such as butter and eggs, are at room temperature before you begin baking. This is critical because room-temperature ingredients emulsify more effectively, creating a smoother, more uniform dough. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and cold eggs can cause the mixture to curdle. Plan ahead by taking these ingredients out of the fridge at least an hour or two before you start the recipe.
• Achieving Bakery-Style Cookies – To give your cookies that enviable, perfectly round, bakery-quality shape, use this simple trick: immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, use a large round biscuit cutter or the rim of a large mug. Place it around each hot cookie and gently ‘scoot’ or swirl the cookie inside the cutter. This reshapes any uneven edges into a beautiful circle. Then, while they’re still warm, gently press a few extra caramel chips and sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top for a truly professional finish.
• Don’t Overmix the Dough: After adding the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dry cookies rather than soft, chewy ones. A few streaks of flour are acceptable; the chips will help finish mixing it in.
• Quality Matters: Using good quality ingredients, especially butter and cocoa powder, will make a noticeable difference in the flavor of your final cookies. Invest in the best you can reasonably afford for a truly exceptional result.
• Consistent Oven Temperature: Ovens can vary widely. If you suspect your oven runs hot or cold, consider using an oven thermometer to ensure it’s at the correct temperature. An inconsistent oven temperature can lead to cookies that bake unevenly or burn.

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Fudgy Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Ella Gilbert

Nutrition