Description
Crunchy, chewy bits of caramel and puddles of chocolate lace this vanilla-forward chocolate chip cookie! This recipe includes an extra step of making hard caramel, which adds a delightful crunch to the cookies. Enjoy these chewy salted caramel chocolate chip cookies that are easy to make with no dough resting time required.
Ingredients
For the Hard Caramel:
- 1 batch 5-Minute Hard Caramel
For the 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)
Instructions
- For the Caramel: Follow the instructions in How to Make Hard Caramel until the liquid sugar starts to turn a golden bronze. Pour onto prepared pan; using a spatula, spread to ¼- to ⅛-inch thickness. Let cool and harden. Once cool, chop into chocolate chip-size pieces. Set aside.
- For the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream your brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and vanilla on medium speed for about 4 to 5 minutes or until light in color and texture. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first is well blended before adding the second. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on medium until everything is well blended, about 1 minute more. Take the bowl out of the mixer. Add the flour and mix until barely blended and you still see streaks of flour. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well combined. Add the chocolate and chopped hard caramel and mix until evenly distributed throughout. Scoop 2-tablespoon size dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of space between the cookie dough balls. Bake cookies one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 11 minutes. Take out of the oven and use the edge of a silicon spatula to nudge the cookies back into circles. Place back in the oven for 1 minute more. They will look slightly underbaked. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, and then transfer the warm cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using, and serve!
Notes
- Mixer vs Your Arms: I mention an electric mixer in the instruction. However, this perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe is definitely a recipe that can easily be made with a large mixing bowl and spatula. Make sure you really cream your butter and sugar so that you get that awesome light cookie texture. Additionally, you can use a hand mixer if you have one handy!
- Choosing Chocolate for Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookies: I tested this cookie with three different types of chocolate! I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chips and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.
- What Caramel to Use in Cookies: You’ll make a quick hard caramel that takes minutes to make, no need to go to the store to buy caramels! You also *do not* need a candy thermometer for this caramel.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
