Salted Caramel Cookies Recipe (2024)

By Erin Jeanne McDowell

Salted Caramel Cookies Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(1,100)
Notes
Read community notes

These soft and buttery cookies get dressed up with a thin layer of salted caramel and a dusting of flaky sea salt for good measure. Using store-bought caramels makes the process especially easy and ensures that the coating has some satisfying chew to it. Be sure to err on the side of under-baking the cookies, so they remain soft and tender.

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Ingredients

Yield:20 cookies

    For the Cookies

    • ¾cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1½ sticks), at room temperature
    • 1cup/220 grams light brown sugar
    • 1large egg
    • teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2cups/255 grams all-purpose flour
    • ¾teaspoon baking soda
    • ½teaspoon fine sea salt

    For the Caramel

    • 8ounces/225 grams store-bought soft caramels, unwrapped
    • 2tablespoons heavy cream
    • Flaky sea salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (20 servings)

202 calories; 9 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 18 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 112 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Salted Caramel Cookies Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Position oven racks near the center and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Step

    2

    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  3. Step

    3

    Add the flour, baking soda and fine sea salt and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, patting into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  4. Scoop the dough into 1½-tablespoon-size portions (you should have about 20). Using your hands, roll the dough into balls and place on the baking sheets, staggering dough and leaving about 2½ inches between pieces.

  5. Step

    5

    Wipe the bottom of a glass with a damp towel and use it to press the cookies flat (they should be about ⅓-inch thick).

  6. Step

    6

    Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, until the edges are golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely.

  7. Step

    7

    Place the unwrapped caramels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup. Microwave the mixture for 30 to 45 seconds and stir well. Continue to microwave in 15-second increments until the caramels are fully melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (You could also do this on the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.)

  8. Step

    8

    Once the cookies have cooled completely, spoon a generous teaspoon of caramel into the center of each cookie. Spread the caramel evenly over the surface, leaving a ¼-inch uncoated edge. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.

  9. Step

    9

    If the caramel becomes too thick as you work, reheat in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, or over medium-low heat on the stovetop, until fluid.

  10. Step

    10

    Let the cookies cool at room temperature until the caramel sets, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Ratings

4

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1,100

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Delicious Cookies!

This recipe makes a delicious batch of cookies. I would say, however, I had a bit of difficulty pressing the cookies down with a damp glass as stated in the recipe. My wife suggested I use a piece of parchment paper between the bottom of the glass and the cookie. This worked extremely well.

stormcat

SO much easier to roll the dough into a log (about 2.5 in in diameter), wrap in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then slice dough into 1/4 inch discs and place on cookie sheet spaced as noted above. Super simple, uniform circles.

comment in the midst of baking

this is a general comment on recipes, but this one in particular - for the sake of energy efficiency, shouldn’t preheating the over be about the fourth step? beyond the usual ingredient prep, there’s 30 min of chilling the dough — so note that this should be plenty of time to preheat your oven after the dough is already made :-)

person

Instead of buying caramel candies, buy actual caramel. I know that there is a brand called "La Lechera" that sells South American style caramel in the U.S. Look for La Lechera dulce de leche. Replace the candies, and you will be all set.

Grace

These turned out very well - followed everything to a T except I didn't have time to refrigerate the dough before rolling out. Was totally fine though because the dough was not very stick & easy to work with.Might add some ginger to the dough next time!

Sylvie

Tip to avoid the "dough scoop/glass press" steps: roll the plastic-wrapped dough into a long, thin sausage. Place in a paper-towel cardboard roll that you cut in half lengthwise. The chilled dough will come out in a perfect circular shape which allows you to slice it up in perfectly even sizes.

Toni

Do not stack these on a plate! You will be sorry :\

Denver test kitchen

Like another baker, I used parchment paper between the glass and dough and it worked great. I assumed the only reason to divide and roll the dough was to help it cool faster, so I just left the dough in the mixing bowl overnight to avoid the hassle. At Denver altitude I tried a sheet at 11 min and one at 12.5. Liked the 11 min one better for the softer texture.

Caitlin

Can anyone suggest a caramel recipe that I could use instead of melting store-bought caramels? It seems easier to me, so I don't have to buy another ingredient, but looking to understand what the right consistency would be... Thanks!

Lorraine

These are delicious. But not possible to store. If you are making these to serve all of them at once, they work fine. Next time I will make each cookie smaller, then frost with caramel and salt on the underside of the cookie, and then put together as a sandwich. Then I think I can store them.

Laura

I made several batches of these to give in my annual Christmas cookie boxes for friends and family. I HAD to resolve the no stack issue. I crushed roasted, salted peanuts and added them to the top and they turned into salted caramel Payday cookies, simply delicious AND stackable!

Jann

Just eat them! Problem solved! (I know; could lead to other problems, but . . .)

mamagrix

These cookies were easy to make and delicious! WARNING, They cannot be stacked, even after hours of cooling. The caramel never fully hardenes.

liz_archie

How do you store these cookies so caramel doesn’t slid off the sides?

Mary

Just made a double batch. The caramels made a lovely glaze, actually my first cookie glaze. Of note: those caramels are seasonal, I had a hard time finding them.

M

Made these yesterday for the holidays. Absolutely delicious and very easy. "Cheater's" caramel is still great. My only note is they spread more than the picture. Next time I would try chilling the dough for a bit after pressing them with a glass to try to retain the shape and maybe chilling the glass first too. Other than that, no notes.

ssteves

Would it ruin the recipe to sprinkle a bit of crushed pretzel on top to prevent cookies from sticking together?

Alex

These are AMAZING- the texture of the cookie is just perfect and I love the caramel isn’t too sticky on the teeth. Made it twice and it’s fantastic, great to impress!

Sue in Iowa

Two comments- please include a warning in the recipe that stacking is out of the question. Made them for a church function and had to make something else at the last minute. Second, I made them with gluten free flour and they spread like crazy. Were they supposed to be four inches wide?

sarah

So disappointed! The caramel hardened quickly after going on cooled cookies - inedible! Looked great & the cookie base is delicious, lightly sweet with great flavor

Mango

Salted caramel is always good, but the cookie was just “meh”. A lot easier to just eat a salted caramel. Also, they really remained sticky, so couldn’t stack them. I wouldn’t make these, again.

Ruth

If you need to stack the cookies for storage/delivery, nonstick parchment paper keeps the caramel from sticking!

Jenny

I made this today, using the trick of making a roll to slice the cookies, it worked very well. They are small and I think using them as a sandwich cookie will be my final plan as they made way more than 20 and the caramel is too sticky to store easily. I used a jar of cajeta (goat’s milk caramel) and they are very tasty and all are enjoying these little cookies!

Sardina

I didn't have caramel, so I substituted with French Onion Soup as they are the same color. I had to put it in the blender to get the onions blended, but overall it worked fine. At the party, one lady said that her cookie had a flavor she couldn't quite place, but other than that, everything went smoothly. Delicious, and I will make it this way every time!

Betsy Bailey

So far, batting .1,000 with every cookie recipe! These are next! Stay tuned for review! I Can't wait!!!

Sondra

These are delicious!! Made my own caramel sauce from scratch from another NYT Cooking recipe!! This recipe is a keeper!!

Jen

This is a very simple recipe and agreeing with previous comments, so many extra unnecessary steps. Wonderful tasting cookie. Refrigerate yes, split into two? No. After accidentally dropping a batch into the oven unpressed, in ball form, It cooked and spread just and nice if not better than the pressed. I found 9 minutes absolute max when cooling on pan. Individually plastic wrapped candies? There is a wide variety of good quality caramel in a jar. And yes, don’t preheat your oven in step 1.

Rebecca

Used the Cling covered log refrigerator method to shape the cookies.Used Werther's Caramels (I can't imagine that my making the caramel can compare to these)Gorgeous looking and delicious! But (as so many others say) they can't be stacked over each other because they stick terribly.

Emily

Added a layer of melted chocolate over the caramel once it cooled. Perfection!

Laura

I made several batches of these to give in my annual Christmas cookie boxes for friends and family. I HAD to resolve the no stack issue. I crushed roasted, salted peanuts and added them to the top and they turned into salted caramel Payday cookies, simply delicious AND stackable!

Betsy Bailey

Oooo! Peanuts sound yummy! Paydays are my favorite candy bar!!!

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Salted Caramel Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes cookies chewy instead of crispy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Can you add salt to store bought caramel? ›

The salt will bring out the caramel flavors and make it more palatable. How much salt do I add to store-bought caramel? To turn a store-bought caramel into salted caramel sauce, I recommend starting with ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon per serving. If you use large sea salt, use less rather than more.

Do you sprinkle cookies with salt before or after baking? ›

Once the chocolate chip cookies are done baking, immediately sprinkle the flaky sea salt on top so that it sticks to the cookies. I also like to use a fine sea salt inside the cookie while baking. Why does sea salt taste so good on cookies? Sea salt intensifies the flavor of your baked goods, especially chocolate!

What does adding more brown sugar do to cookies? ›

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

What is the trick to making soft and chewy cookies? ›

It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch. That's right, the flavorless thickening agent used for soups, stews, and curries is also the secret weapon for baked goods that boast a silky-smooth mouthfeel.

How do you make cookies softer instead of crunchy? ›

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

What is the difference between salted caramel and caramel? ›

The primary difference between salted caramel and normal (or unsalted) caramel lies in salt in the former, which significantly impacts both the flavour profile and the overall taste experience.

How do you harden store bought caramel? ›

you could put the caramel with a little corn starch or flour in a sauce pan and bring to a boil to thicken the caramel and let cool then add to the ice cream mixture,and put in freezer a bit.

What not to do when making caramel? ›

12 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Caramel
  1. Not assembling your ingredients. Juanmonino/Getty Images. ...
  2. Choosing the wrong pan. Milanchikov Sergey/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Using the wrong sugar. ...
  4. Getting the temperature wrong. ...
  5. Stirring the sugar too much. ...
  6. Forgetting about safety. ...
  7. Not heating your liquid. ...
  8. Stopping before the sugar browns.
Jan 29, 2024

What do eggs do for cookies? ›

Eggs promote puffiness and spreading in cookies, while also holding the cookie together during baking. The height and texture of the final product is determined by how much egg is incorporated into the batter. Substituting ingredients can make or break a recipe.

What happens to cookies when you use salted butter instead of unsalted? ›

It all comes down to flavor! Salted butter will almost always add a little something extra when it comes to taste. It's also great for those who like the combination of sweet and salty, like in the case of cowboy cookies.

What is the best salt for cookies? ›

For baking recipes, use a non-iodized salt. That way, you won't get any chemical tastes in your baked goods! But don't panic if iodized salt is all you have—if you're only using a small amount (think: ¼ teaspoon or less) or baking a recipe with strong flavors, you probably won't notice its taste.

What does melted butter do to cookies? ›

Using melted butter in cookies helps you achieve a similar fudgy-yet-cooked texture and prevents any unwanted cakiness. Instead of the rise coming from both chemical and physical leavening agents (baking soda/powder + creamed butter), it now comes almost exclusively from chemical agents alone.

What does adding milk to cookie dough do? ›

The moisture contributed by the milk will also increase spread and hydrate more of the starches in the flour. These hydrated (gelatinized) starches support the structure of the air pocket wall, keeping the cookies from collapsing once cooled. By holding more water, they also help keep the cookies softer over time.

What happens if you forget to add brown sugar to cookies? ›

What happens when you bake without brown sugar? To be succinct, the resulting baked good could be slightly drier or more crisp. Without the excess moisture from the molasses in the brown sugar, the final cookie won't be as chewy and the final bread might be drier.

What ingredient makes cookies more chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

What causes cookies to be chewy? ›

Melted butter creates cookies with a different texture compared to cookies made with softened or creamed butter. When butter is melted, it coats the flour more evenly, resulting in cookies that are chewier and denser.

What ingredient contributes most to the texture of a crisp cookie? ›

Fat is a very important ingredient in cookies – it tenderizes, crisps and browns, adds color and a wonderful flavor that is impossible to duplicate. Butter, our fat of choice, ensures good baking results and adds the most desirable taste, texture and appearance.

How do you keep cookies crisp and chewy? ›

How do you store cookies to stay crisp? To keep crispy cookies crisp, you need to keep them away from moisture. Always store different types of cookies separately—soft cookies can cause crispy cookies to soften due to their extra moisture. Place crispy cookies in an airtight container, but don't completely seal it.

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