Description

These chewy salted caramel chocolate chip cookies feature rich vanilla-forward dough laced with crunchy bits of homemade hard caramel and melted dark chocolate chunks. The cookies balance sweet and salty perfectly, offering a satisfying combination of chewy caramel bits, gooey chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes on top for extra flavor dimension. This one-bowl recipe is quick to prepare, with no dough resting time needed, making it ideal for a fast yet decadent bake.

Ingredients

Scale

Caramel

1 batch 5-Minute Hard Caramel

Cookie Dough

1 1/2 cups (330 g) light brown sugar, packed
16 tablespoons (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons (19 g) real vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 ¼ cups (439 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (255 g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped or chips
Sea salt flakes for the tops (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare the Hard Caramel: Make the 5-Minute Hard Caramel according to the recipe or package instructions, then let it cool completely before breaking it into small, crunchy bits to incorporate into the cookie dough.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and fluffy, which usually takes about 3-4 minutes using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and weighed with flavor.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents and salt.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
Fold in Chocolate and Caramel Bits: Gently fold the coarsely chopped dark chocolate and the cooled caramel bits into the dough with a spatula, ensuring they are evenly dispersed throughout.
Shape Cookies: With a spoon or cookie scoop, portion dough balls onto parchment-lined or silicone mat baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Optionally, sprinkle a few sea salt flakes on top of each dough ball for added flavor and texture.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden but centers still appear slightly soft and underbaked for a chewy texture.
Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies set and retain their chewy texture.

Notes

Crunchy, chewy bits of caramel and puddles of chocolate lace this vanilla-forward chocolate chip cookie.
Making the hard caramel is a quick extra step, taking just minutes without requiring a candy thermometer.
This recipe uses a one-bowl method with no resting time for the dough, making it simple and fast.
Sea salt flakes on top are optional but recommended to enhance the salted caramel flavor profile.
For best texture, avoid overbaking; cookies should look slightly underbaked in the center when removed from the oven.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 210
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg