Description

These chewy salted caramel chocolate chip cookies feature crunchy bits of homemade hard caramel and rich dark chocolate chunks, all wrapped in a soft, vanilla-forward dough topped with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. This easy one-bowl recipe requires just minutes for the hard caramel and no resting time for the dough, resulting in perfect cookies with a delightful balance of sweet, salty, and buttery flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Caramel

1 batch 5-Minute Hard Caramel

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)

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Instructions

Make the Hard Caramel: Prepare the 5-minute hard caramel by cooking sugar until caramelized and hardened once cooled. This step creates crunchy caramel bits that will be folded into the cookie dough for texture and flavor.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth, light, and fluffy.
Add Vanilla and Eggs: Blend in the vanilla extract, followed by the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and all-purpose flour to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour.
Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the dough.
Fold in Chocolate and Caramel: Gently fold in the dark chocolate chunks and the prepared hard caramel pieces, ensuring an even distribution throughout the dough.
Portion the Dough: Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing each portion adequately to allow for spreading during baking.
Add Sea Salt and Bake: Optionally, sprinkle sea salt flakes on top of each cookie dough portion for an extra touch of saltiness. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centers appear set but still soft.
Cool and Serve: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy the perfect balance of chewy, salty, and chocolate flavors.

Notes

The hard caramel adds delicious crunchy, chewy bits to the cookie without the need for candy thermometers.
This is a one-bowl recipe that requires no resting time for the dough, making it quick and easy to prepare.
Using dark chocolate provides rich depth and balances the sweetness of the caramel and sugars.
Sea salt flakes on top enhance the flavor and add a contrasting texture.
Make sure all ingredients like eggs and butter are at room temperature for optimal mixing.
Monitor baking time closely to avoid overbaking; cookies should be soft in the center when removed.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 220
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 110mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 27g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 40mg