Sometimes all you need is a cookie. A chewy buttery, brown sugar cookie with melted chunks of dark chocolate, shards of caramel and flakes of sea salt sprinkled on top. Yeah, that kind of cookie.
The whole inspiration for this cookie came while I was standing in line at Starbucks. I heard that being a Pisces makes me a really bad decision maker, I totally believe this to be true and here’s why.
I rarely buy anything other than coffee but this time the Chocolate Chunk Cookie and the Toffeedoodle Cookie had me squished up against the glass. You’re killing me Starbucks.
Being as indecisive as I am, I flipped back and forth on which one to buy. I finally went with the Toffeedoodle and then to my horror, more decisions! “Would you like that warmed up?” I grabbed my stuff and hightailed it. The cookie was good, but damn it that thing needed chocolate. Getting coffee shouldn’t be so stressful.
So I made my own cookies and now I’m sharing them with you, and they’re pretty freaking amazing.
I bet you even have all of these ingredients in your kitchen right now? Okay maybe not flaked sea salt but you should. It’s like pixie dust for desserts.
Get yourself a really good dark chocolate bar at least 70%. Chocolate chips wont melt like these chunks and remember, we’re not calling this a chocolate chip cookie, these are way too sassy.
You’ll smash up those hard caramel candies with a rolling pin and add it to the dough. You might not see toffee chunks but you’ll feel the chewy crunchy bits when you bite into them.
For all my indecisive cookie lovers.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 stick soft unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 3.5 oz dark chocolate bar
- 8 hard caramel candies Werthers Originals is what I used
- Flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Linne a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine the flour and baking soda.
- Using a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until creamy.
- Add the vanilla and the egg, mix to combine.
- Gradually add the flour with the mixer on low and mix just until the dough comes together. Stop mixing.
- Chop the chocolate bar roughly with a sharp knife and add to the cookie dough.
- Smash the caramel candies while they are still in the wrapper and then open them placing the broken pieces into the cookie dough.
- Mix on low for about 20 seconds, just to combine the chocolate and caramel through the dough.
- Place the dough and mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into pieces each weighing about 1 1/2 ounces.
- Roll into a ball and place on your prepared tray. You'll probably have to do this in two batches.
- Leave enough room around each cookie and very gently press down to create a flat top.
- Bake for 13 minutes and then sprinkle some flaked sea salt on top of each cookie when they come out of the oven.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack and continuing with any remaining dough.
Nutrition
I didn’t think a classic chocolate chip cookie could be improved on…….clearly I was way wrong cause these look bomb!!!! I could eat all of those!
sometimes you shouldn’t mess with the classics but this is an exception Tori ;)
I haven’t seen hard caramel candies in cookies before. Did you use Werther’s Originals? I definitely need to try these!
That’s exactly what I used Katrina :)
1.5 ounces is what ? A teaspoon or a tablespoon ?
Hi Debbie, neither..1.5 ounces is the weight of each cookie. If you don’t have a scale to use you can just divide the dough into 12 evenly sized balls.
Thank you
LOL…Starbucks can be a very stressful experience!
You’re telling me Patty!! lol
Those look delicious! I’m a big fan of Werther’s caramels although my husband thinks those are for the elderly. Never thought to put them into a cookie though… yum, the possibilities!
Mhmmm salted caramel in a chocolate CHUNK cookie sounds HEAVENLY!! (Oops, almost called it a chocolate chip cookie but that would be too sassy hahahah ;) )
!
Hello, I just came across your recipe and was curious to know if the caramel bits hardened after the cookie cools? I trying to find a recipe where the caramel remains completely soft. Thanks.
I am looking for a good salted caramel/chocolate recipe. I have never used a hard caramel for baking…how are these when they cool? Do the caramels return to their original hardness?
Sara, they do become chewy after they cool so not as soft