Chocolate Caramel Cookies - Stephanie's Sweet Treats (2024)

These chocolate caramel cookies are brown butter chocolate chip cookies with a chocolate caramel square on top. The brown butter brings a nutty flavor that gives a perfect balance. They are better than regular chocolate chip cookies with a caramel chocolate on top. They will be a new favorite cookie for any caramel lover.

These chocolate caramel cookies are the best way to enjoy gooey caramel chocolates. They have delicious cookies as a base which just makes the decadent caramel chocolates on top even better. They complement each other to make a treat even better than the parts. They will be the star of any cookie exchange or bake sale and blow the mind of any cookie lovers you share them with.

For more caramel recipes, try Caramel Cinnamon Rolls, Caramel Cheesecake, and Pretzel Salted Caramel Mini Cheesecakes.

Try pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Why This Recipe Works

• Chewy cookies- The base of this cookie is the best chocolate chip cookies. They only get better with caramel chocolates on top!
• Ghirardelli chocolates- These chocolates are some of my absolute favorites, and melt onto cookies perfectly. They really bring these cookies to another level.
• Chocolate and caramel- Chocolate and caramel are a perfect combination, and these cookies are the best way to enjoy them! They are so much more satisfying than just chocolates on their own!
• Easy recipe- This easy chocolate caramel cookie recipe is simple to make. It is broken down into a few simple steps so anyone can enjoy these delicious treats.

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Unsalted butter- You will cook this into brown butter before using it. Start early enough to cool it down.
• Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar for this, but dark brown sugar will work as well.
• Eggs- Pull these out 2 hours before baking to get it to room temperature.
• Chocolate chips- I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. Dark chocolate chips can work, but I do not recommend milk chocolate chips as they will be too sweet.
• Ghirardelli chocolate caramel squares- If you have another preferred caramel candy you can substitute it in. Stick to a flatter candy so it can melt into the cookie better. I wouldn't use one taller than a Rolo candy.
• Mixer- Note that this recipe requires an electric mixer. A hand mixer or a stand mixer with paddle attachment will work.

Step By Step Instructions

Here is how to make and bake these chocolate caramel cookies.

STEP 1: Brown butter. Place the butter in a frying pan and heat it over medium heat on the stove until it is melted. Then, use a rubber spatula to stir it occasionally as it continues to cook until the milk solids separate and turn an amber color.

STEP 2: Cool butter. Pour the butter into a bowl and let it cool. You can place it in a fridge to cool it faster, but don't let it solidify. If it does, use a microwave to melt it again.

STEP 3: Dry ingredients. Mix the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

STEP 4: Beat butter and sugar. Use a mixer and large bowl to beat the brown butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on high speed for 2 minutes.

STEP 5: Combine. Add the vanilla extract and eggs to the butter mixture and mix them on medium speed. Next, add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix them in on low.

STEP 6: Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Meanwhile, let the cookie dough rest for 10 minutes.

STEP 7: Scoop and bake cookies. Use a large cookie scoop (2 oz or 2 TBSP) to scoop 6 dough balls per prepared baking sheet. Then, bake 1 baking sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown.

STEP 8: Top and cool. When you take the cookies out immediately place chocolate caramel squares on top of the cookies. Let the cookies cool in the hot pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Expert Baking Tips

• Properly measure your flour- Make sure the flour is spooned and leveled. If you stick the measuring cup directly into the flour, it will compact the flour giving you too much flour. Compacted flour can cause the cookies to not spread.
• If the cookies are spreading too much, make sure you are using parchment paper on the cookie sheet. If they are still spreading too much this could be the butter was too warm before adding the ingredients. If it still spreads too much, you chill the cookie dough balls for 10-15 minutes.
• If you live at high altitude, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour. This will help with the spread.
• The cookies should be slightly underdone at first, because they will continue to cook as they cool. This helps to make sure they are chewier cookies.

FAQ

Storing and Freezing

Store the chocolate caramel cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container such as a zip-top bag up to 5 days.

Freezing

Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container, such as a freezer bag, and freeze up to 30 days. Thaw for 1-2 hours before eating.

Other Cookie Recipes To Try

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