Name: Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 29 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, melted; 2/3 cup (132g) light brown sugar, lightly packed; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/4 cup (150g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 1/2 tsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp baking powder; 2/3 cup (4 oz) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips; 4 chocolate covered caramel squares (I used Ghirardelli Dark Sea Salt Caramel Chocolates); pinch of sea salt flakes

Jump to Recipe

What’s better than quick and easy chocolate chip cookies? Quick and easy chocolate chip cookies stuffed with salted caramel chocolates, duh! These caramel chocolate chip cookies are next level indulgent!

The details

If you know me or have been following this blog a while, you’ll know one of my favorite flavors is salted caramel. I’ve always wanted to stuff a giant chocolate chip cookie with caramel but the texture of caramel candies is just not right for me. So I used Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares in the middle and it is as indulgent as it gets, my friends.

How to make a caramel chocolate chip cookies

To stay on the quick and easy brand, I made sure we were using melted butter for the dough because no one wants to wait for the butter to be at the perfect room temperature. These cookies are literally so simple. The melted butter gets whisked with the light brown sugar, then whisk in the egg and vanilla and then fold in the flour and baking powder, followed by the chocolate. Scoop and bake. DONE.

four baked cookies with extra chocolate chips on top and sea salt

Ingredients:

Flour: I just used all-purpose flour for this recipe however, I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as over-measuring the flour is the most common baking mistake and may result in dry cookies.
Sugar: I’m going to spare you my whole rant on sugar lol… I used JUST light brown sugar for these cookies and I don’t recommend substituting it.
Butter: I LOVE using salted butter in cookies! I started doing this this year and it just seems more flavorful and it’s one less step since you don’t have to add extra salt. If you use unsalted butter, just add ¼ tsp salt to the batter with the flour too.
Egg: I used one FULL large egg in this small-batch recipe
Vanilla: Don’t underestimate the power of vanilla extract in a cookie recipe. I stopped putting vanilla in EVERYTHING that I make but for cookies it’s essential.
Baking Powder: just baking powder, no baking soda.
Chocolate: pretty essential in chocolate chip cookies if you ask me, LOLzzz. More details below!
Caramel: For the caramel filling, I tried different types of caramel squares but I really wasn’t a fan of the texture they produced so I love using a caramel stuffed chocolate.
Sea Salt Flakes: I would say this is optional but I’m not sure we can be friends if you don’t choose this option lol

What kind of chocolate can I use for these caramel chocolate chip cookies?

Since this recipe is adapted from my small-batch chocolate chip cookies, you can use chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars. From all the different ways I tested them, I prefer mini semi-sweet chocolate chips because that cookie spread the least and made a nice thick cookie.

chocolate chip cookie dough with caramel chocolate inside

wrap the cookie dough around the chocolate — chocolate chip cookie dough with caramel chocolate inside

How to bake these cookies

I always bake in a convection oven but when I took some polls on instagram, most of you said you either don’t have one or you don’t know how to use your convection oven. So since I developed ALL my recipes in a 350F convection oven, I decided to experiment with a conventional.

If you don’t know the difference, a convection oven has a fan that circulates the heat more evenly. This usually results in a quicker bake, so always do less time if you’re unsure and it also gives a more even browning. If you’re not used to it, the change can be frustrating.

Baking with a conventional oven (no fan)

Bake 4 oz cookies at 325F (163C) for 16 minutes

Baking with a convection oven (fan)

Bake 4 oz cookies at 350F (177C) for 14 minutes

chocolate chip cookie with caramel stuffed inside

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I store unbaked cookie dough?

The cookie dough is pretty soft so you’ll want to scoop it out, stuff the caramel chocolate in the middle, roll it into a ball and then press it down into a disk. Then refrigerate it on a plate or tray until the cookie dough balls are more firm.

Once they’re firm, place them in a ziplock bag and freeze. To bake, remove from the freezer as the oven is preheating and bake for another 2-3 minutes than you normally would if they weren’t frozen.

Can I make these vegan?

Unfortunately I haven’t had time to test this but I really wanted to get this recipe out to you all so when I do try it, I’ll certainly update it. If you try it, let me know!

Can I double the recipe to make a big batch of cookies?

You can double this recipe to make 8 large (4 oz) cookies.

Can I use different add-ins?

You sure can! Now I use this base for so many other cookies (recipes coming soon for some of them). Some fun add-ins that I recommend:

Sub half of the chocolate chips for walnuts or hazelnuts.
Sub half of the chocolate chips with pecans or macadamia nuts and the other half of chocolate chips with white chocolate chips.
Replace all the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and add 2 Tbsp of sprinkles

If you have any other add-ins you’ve tried, let me know in the comment section.

How to store baked caramel chocolate chip cookies

These caramel chocolate chip cookies can be stored in a ziplock bag at room temperature for 3-4 days. They obviously will dry out a little more day by day but I just pop them in the microwave for like 5-10 seconds before eating.

Thanks so much for reading today’s post , if you have any questions just comment down below, i’m happy to answer! If you make these giant caramel chocolate chip cookies, I would love to see them! Make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram and as always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B

Yield: 4 large cookies

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 29 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, melted
2/3 cup (132g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup (150g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup (4 oz) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 chocolate covered caramel squares (I used Ghirardelli Dark Sea Salt Caramel Chocolates)
pinch of sea salt flakes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) convection OR 325F (163C) conventional and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, microwave the butter for 20-30 seconds, just until it's melted (if it gets super hot, then let it cool a little bit).
Add the light brown sugar to the melted butter and whisk together for about a minute. Add in the egg and vanilla and whisk until it's completely smooth.
Add the flour, salt and baking powder and fold the cookie dough just until there are a few streaks left of flour.
Fold in the chocolate chips, just until they're evenly dispersed.
Split cookie dough into 4 large (4oz) pieces. Flatten them into a disc, place a caramel chocolate in the center and use the edges of the cookie dough to wrap it up like a present (see photos).
Bake one sheet on the middle rack for 14 minutes on convection or 16 minutes on conventional, just until the edges are starting to brown and the center is puffed and no longer looks wet.
Remove them from the oven, give the pan a quick tap on the counter and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes before transferring off the cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and enjoy warm!