Caramel cookies – even the name sounds tempting, doesn’t it? These Salted Caramel Cookies are far better than store-bought. With this recipe you can quickly bake classic American-style caramel cookies that are crispy on the outside and tender, chewy and gooey inside.
Why You’ll Love These Salted Caramel Cookies
These cookies have a delicate caramel flavor balanced with a hint of salt. They bake up with slightly crisp edges and a soft, chewy center. The recipe is straightforward and quick to follow; the only waiting time is a short chill for the dough (30–60 minutes). One simple trick yields thick, rounded cookies that look as good as they taste.
They also store well: kept in an airtight container, they stay fresh for about 3–5 days and can be frozen for longer storage. If you enjoy caramel desserts—shortbread, ice cream or cheesecake—this cookie recipe should be on your baking list. Browse the photos for inspiration, then get baking.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Caramel Cookies
Alongside pantry staples like all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt, a few specific ingredients make these cookies sing:
Sugar: A combination of white sugar for sweetness and structure and brown sugar for moisture and a deeper, caramel-like flavor. This recipe uses a moderate amount of sugar compared with many similar recipes.
Butter and Egg: Both contribute richness, moisture and structure. For best results bring them to room temperature before mixing.
Caramel: Caramel appears twice in the recipe: as a creamy caramel spread (partially replacing some butter) and as chopped caramel pieces. A salted caramel cream with a thick, Nutella-like texture works well; store-bought caramel cookie butter or spreads can be used too. For the chunks, mini caramel cubes, caramel drops or chopped soft caramels from the supermarket are ideal.
How to Make Caramel Cookies in 3 Simple Steps
Prepare the dough: Cream the butter with white and brown sugar, then add the caramel cream and mix briefly. Beat in the egg and vanilla if using. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) and fold in the caramel chunks. For a subtle swirl, fold in a little extra caramel cream at the end with a fork.
Chill the dough: Shape the dough into balls and chill for 30–60 minutes to prevent excessive spreading. If your baking sheet fits in the fridge, chill the formed balls directly on the lined sheet; otherwise chill on parchment laid over plates or boards and transfer to the sheet before baking.
Bake the cookies: Allow the chilled dough balls to sit briefly at room temperature before baking so they aren’t ice-cold. Bake until the edges are just turning golden but the centers still look slightly underbaked. Baking time depends on cookie size and oven; the cookies will continue to set as they cool.
Tips for Perfect Caramel Cookies
Chewy texture: Avoid overbaking. Remove the cookies while they still look a touch soft in the center; they firm up as they cool. For crisper cookies, leave them in a little longer.
Shaping: If a cookie spreads unevenly, reshape it right after baking. Gently press a round cutter or glass around the edge to create a uniform circle.
How to Store Caramel Cookies
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–5 days to keep them soft and chewy. They also freeze well; thaw at room temperature when you want to enjoy them. These cookies are so good they rarely last long!
Recipe Card
Print Recipe
Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
- 300 grams (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda, approx. 6g
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt, leveled
- 150 grams (¾ cup) butter, soft
- 100 grams (½ cup) white sugar
- 50 grams (4 tablespoons) brown sugar
- 60 grams (⅓ cup) caramel cream, see notes
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, optional
- 80 grams (¾ cups) caramel chunks, see notes
Instructions
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Prepare the dry ingredients: whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Cream the wet ingredients: beat the softened butter with the white and brown sugar until smooth. Add 40 g of the caramel cream and mix well. Then add the egg and vanilla paste (if using) and beat until combined.
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Combine wet and dry: gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir into a relatively smooth dough. Lightly swirl the remaining 20 g of caramel cream into the dough with a fork. Fold in about 40 g of caramel chunks.
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Shape and chill: form 18–22 even balls of dough. Press remaining caramel pieces into the tops for decoration. Place the dough balls on parchment and chill in the fridge for 30–60 minutes.
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Preheat and prepare: remove the dough from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) on conventional bake. Arrange the chilled dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between each cookie.
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Bake: depending on size bake for 10–13 minutes. The centers should still look slightly underbaked when you remove them so they stay soft and chewy after cooling. Let the cookies cool on the sheet briefly before transferring to a rack or container.
Notes
Caramel chunks: mini caramel cubes, caramel drops or chopped soft caramels are all suitable and commonly available at supermarkets.