Soft Chocolate Caramel Cookies

This chocolate chip cookie recipe delivers a gooey caramel surprise in every bite, finished with a touch of flaky sea salt that creates the perfect sweet-salty balance. After years of testing cookie recipes, I've found this combination creates the most irresistible texture and flavor that keeps everyone asking for the recipe.

I first made these cookies for a neighborhood bake sale where they sold out within minutes. What began as an experiment has become my signature dessert that friends request whenever we gather. The combination of chocolate and caramel has converted even the most dedicated plain chocolate chip cookie lovers in my family.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Provides the perfect structure while keeping cookies tender
• Baking soda: Creates just enough lift for that classic cookie texture
• Cornstarch: My secret weapon for extra soft chewy cookies that stay fresh longer
• Salt: Balances the sweetness in the dough
• Melted butter: Rather than creamed butter gives these cookies their chewy texture
• Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a rich caramel undertone
• Granulated sugar: Creates those crispy edges everyone loves
• Extra egg yolk: Increases richness and chewiness
• Vanilla extract: Enhances all the flavors
• Semi sweet chocolate chips: Provide the perfect level of chocolate intensity
• Soft caramel candies: Create that gooey surprise center
• Flaky sea salt: Adds the perfect finishing touch that enhances both chocolate and caramel flavors

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients First:

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl until completely combined. This ensures the leavening agents and salt will be evenly distributed throughout your dough, preventing any cookies with bitter baking soda pockets.

Create Your Butter Sugar Base:

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until the mixture looks like wet sand and no sugar lumps remain. The melted butter coats the sugar particles creating a more uniform dough that bakes into perfectly chewy cookies.

Add Wet Ingredients:

Mix in the whole egg, extra yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly lighter in color. The extra yolk adds richness while helping create that perfect chewy texture that makes these cookies special.

Combine Wet And Dry:

Add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold together using gentle strokes just until no dry spots remain. Overmixing develops gluten which can make your cookies tough, so stop as soon as everything is incorporated.

Add Chocolate:

Fold in the chocolate chips using a gentle hand. This ensures the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the dough without overworking it. For chocolate puddles rather than distinct chips, roughly chop high quality chocolate bars instead.

Chill The Dough:

Cover your dough and refrigerate for at least one hour. This crucial step allows the flour to fully hydrate and the butter to solidify, preventing excessive spreading during baking and developing deeper flavor.

Form Caramel Centers:

Take about two tablespoons of chilled dough, flatten it slightly in your palm, and press a caramel candy into the center. Carefully wrap the dough completely around the caramel, sealing well and rolling into a ball. Place cookies far enough apart to allow for spreading.

Bake To Perfection:

Bake until the edges are just turning golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. This ensures your cookies will have that perfect chewy texture once cooled. Watch carefully as overbaking even by a minute can result in hard cookies instead of chewy ones.

Finish With Salt:

While the cookies are still warm, sprinkle each with a small pinch of flaky sea salt. The salt will slightly melt into the surface, creating the perfect sweet salty balance that makes these cookies unforgettable.

The cornstarch in this recipe is my favorite secret ingredient. I discovered it years ago when trying to recreate my grandmother's impossibly soft cookies. She never shared her secret, but after countless tests, I found that just a small amount of cornstarch creates the perfect texture that reminds me of those childhood cookies I loved so much.

Perfect Caramel Selection

The type of caramel candy you choose makes a significant difference in these cookies. Soft chewy caramels like Werther's or Kraft work perfectly, creating a gooey center that stays soft even after the cookies have cooled. Avoid hard caramel candies or those with fillings. For an extra special touch, try making these with homemade caramels if you have them, though store bought work wonderfully.

Make Ahead Options

This cookie dough is perfect for making ahead. The chilled dough keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, developing even deeper flavors as it rests. You can also form the caramel filled dough balls and freeze them solid on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding just 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Having these ready to bake in your freezer means warm, fresh cookies are always just minutes away.

Serving Suggestions

While these cookies are incredible on their own, they become truly extraordinary when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The contrast between cold ice cream and warm cookie with its molten caramel center creates a dessert experience that rivals any restaurant offering. For dinner parties, consider making smaller cookies and serving them as part of a dessert board with different flavored ice creams, warm chocolate sauce, and fresh berries.

Flavor Variations

This versatile dough welcomes many delicious additions. Try mixing in chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch. Substitute butterscotch chips for chocolate chips for an extra caramel flavor profile. For a more complex cookie, add a half teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients to enhance the chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste. During the holidays, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg creates a festive variation that pairs perfectly with the caramel center.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How do I prevent cookies from spreading too much?

Chill the dough for at least one hour before baking. This firms up the butter and ensures the cookies retain their shape in the oven.

→ Can I use different types of chocolate?

Absolutely! While semi-sweet chocolate chips are traditional, you can use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even chopped chocolate chunks for variation.

→ How do I get the caramel perfectly gooey?

Make sure to fully enclose the caramel in the dough to prevent it from leaking. Also, microwave the cookies for a few seconds before serving to re-soften the caramel center.

→ Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be made and chilled for up to three days. Simply scoop and stuff the dough with caramel when you're ready to bake.

→ What’s the best way to store these cookies?

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You can also freeze them for longer storage, reheating gently before enjoying.