Brown butter, chocolate, caramel, and flaky sea salt come together in these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies! Perfect for a holiday cookie swap but versatile enough to enjoy all year long, these are like heaven in a bite.

FULL RECIPE:

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chunks or chips
Caramel candies, cut into small pieces
Flaky sea salt, for topping

Directions

Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Brown the Butter: Melt the butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma. Let it cool slightly.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the browned butter, coconut sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
Fold in Chocolate: Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks or chips.
Chill the Dough: Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Shape and Bake: Place 6 chilled dough balls onto a baking sheet, flatten slightly, and bake for 8 minutes.
Add Caramel: Quickly press 3-4 caramel pieces into each cookie and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden brown.
Cool and Serve: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and enjoy warm.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 200
Total Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
Cholesterol: 15mg
Sodium: 160mg
Total Carbohydrates: 25g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 15g
Protein: 1g
Calcium: 0mg
Iron: 1mg
Vitamin D: 0μg

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies bring together the perfect combination of flavors and textures. The rich, nutty taste of brown butter, the deep sweetness of caramel, and the slight crunch of flaky sea salt make each bite irresistible. Unlike regular chocolate chip cookies, these have a gooey caramel center that melts in your mouth, adding a delicious surprise. These cookies are great for any occasion, whether it’s a holiday gathering, a birthday celebration, or just an afternoon treat. They are easy to make and can be stored for later enjoyment, making them a convenient option for busy bakers.

The Magic of Brown Butter

One of the key ingredients that sets these cookies apart is brown butter. Browning butter involves melting it over medium heat until the milk solids toast, creating a nutty aroma and deep golden color. This process enhances the flavor of the cookies by adding a richer, more complex taste. It’s a simple but powerful technique that elevates the entire recipe. Using brown butter in cookie dough also results in a chewier texture, as the water content in the butter evaporates, concentrating the fat. This helps create a perfectly crispy edge while keeping the center soft and gooey.

The Role of Caramel in These Cookies

Caramel adds a unique sweetness and a gooey texture that takes these cookies to the next level. The slight chewiness of the caramel contrasts beautifully with the crisp edges and soft center. When added to the cookies, the caramel pieces melt slightly during baking, creating small pockets of rich, buttery goodness. This makes each bite exciting and indulgent. To ensure the caramel stays in the center of the cookies rather than spreading too much, it’s best to press them into the dough partway through baking rather than mixing them into the dough beforehand. This technique helps create a visually appealing, gourmet-style cookie.

The Importance of Using High-Quality Chocolate

Chocolate plays a major role in these cookies, so choosing the right type is essential. Using chocolate chunks instead of standard chocolate chips makes a significant difference in texture and flavor. Chocolate chunks melt more evenly, creating larger pockets of rich, melted chocolate throughout the cookie. Dark chocolate is a great choice because its slightly bitter taste balances the sweetness of the caramel and sugar. However, milk or semi-sweet chocolate also works well if you prefer a sweeter cookie. Experimenting with different types of chocolate can help you find your perfect combination.

The Secret to the Perfect Texture

The best cookies strike a balance between crispy edges and a soft, chewy center. This recipe achieves that texture by using a few key techniques:

Chilling the dough – Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour before baking helps solidify the fat, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking. This step also enhances the flavor by allowing the ingredients to meld together.
Using brown sugar – Brown sugar contains more moisture than white sugar, leading to a chewier cookie. It also adds a subtle molasses flavor that pairs well with the caramel.
Baking at the right temperature – Baking at 350°F ensures the cookies spread just the right amount without becoming too thin or overcooked. The slightly lower temperature also allows the caramel to melt properly without burning.

Why You Should Sprinkle Flaky Sea Salt on Top

Flaky sea salt might seem like a small addition, but it makes a huge difference in flavor. The salt enhances the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate while providing a subtle crunch. It also balances out the richness of the butter and sugar, preventing the cookies from becoming overly sweet. Sprinkling the salt right after baking ensures that it sticks to the cookies without melting into them. This preserves the distinct texture and flavor contrast.

Best Occasions for These Cookies

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfect for so many different events. They are an excellent choice for:

Holiday baking – These cookies make a great addition to holiday cookie trays. The caramel and chocolate make them feel extra special and festive.
Gifting – Packaged in a decorative box or tin, these cookies make a thoughtful and delicious homemade gift.
Parties and gatherings – Whether it’s a birthday, family reunion, or casual get-together, these cookies are always a crowd-pleaser.
Weekend baking projects – If you enjoy baking for fun, this recipe is a great way to experiment with flavors and textures while making something absolutely delicious.

Storage and Freezing Tips

One of the best things about these cookies is that they store well, making them perfect for meal-prepping sweet treats.

Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. To keep them soft, place a slice of bread in the container the cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and stay fresh longer.
Refrigerating the Dough: If you don’t plan to bake all the cookies at once, you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours. This allows the flavors to develop even more, resulting in a richer taste.
Freezing: You can freeze both baked cookies and unbaked dough balls. Baked cookies should be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. To freeze unbaked dough, scoop the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer them to a zip-top bag. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with a great recipe, small mistakes can affect the final result. Here are some common errors to watch out for:

Skipping the chilling step – If the dough isn’t chilled, the cookies may spread too much and lose their chewy texture.
Overmixing the dough – Overmixing can lead to tough cookies because it overdevelops the gluten in the flour. Mix only until the ingredients are combined.
Using too much flour – Measuring flour incorrectly (such as scooping directly from the bag) can lead to dense cookies. It’s best to spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off for accuracy.
Placing caramel in the dough too early – Adding caramel pieces before baking can cause them to melt too much and spread unevenly. Instead, pressing them into the cookies midway through baking ensures a perfect texture.

Conclusion

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies are a must-try for anyone who loves rich, chewy, and flavorful treats. The combination of brown butter, caramel, chocolate, and flaky sea salt makes these cookies stand out from the usual chocolate chip variety. Whether you’re baking them for a special occasion or just to satisfy a sweet craving, they are sure to impress. By using high-quality ingredients and following the right techniques, you can achieve bakery-style cookies right in your own kitchen.

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