Salted Caramel Cookie Recipe

Grab your baking tools and get ready to create the ultimate sweet and salty treat with this Salted Caramel Cookie Recipe! Made with standard baking ingredients and completed with caramels and sea salt, you’re in for a treat with this dessert. I recommend a double batch — everyone is going to want more than one!

Deliciously salty and sweet cookies

When it comes to foods and drinks, there are a few magic flavor combinations: peanut butter and jelly, cookies and cream, and lemon and lime, to name a few. But when it comes to baking, there is one combination that wins every single time! Sweet + salty.

Today, I’m showing you how to master the art of the sweet and salty cookie with this salted caramel cookie recipe. Made with a blend of brown and white sugars, vanilla extract, caramel, and of course, salt, these cookies taste delicious and kick sweet tooth cravings to the curb!

Ingredients in this salted caramel cookie recipe

These caramel cookies utilize basic baking staples like butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and baking powder. They deliciously come together with the addition of caramel, milk, and sea salt!

• Butter: First up, these tasty salted caramel cookies require 3/4 cup of softened butter. That amounts to 1.5 sticks.
• Brown sugar: Next, we’ll begin creating the sweet base with 3/4 cup of brown sugar. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
• White sugar: Follow the brown sugar with 1/4 cup of white sugar.
• Egg: 1 egg will help the ingredients bind together properly.
• Vanilla extract: Like with most baked goods, vanilla is a must in this recipe! Use 2 tsp.
• Flour: Next up, you will need 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Flour is a must in these cookies, as it helps to create the base of the dough.
• Baking soda: 1/2 tsp of baking soda helps the cookies bake to the correct texture.
• Baking powder: Follow the baking soda with 1/2 tsp of baking powder.
• Salt: Don’t forget the salt! Use 1/2 tsp. We’ll be adding some flaky salt at the end too!
• Caramels: To achieve the caramel part of this recipe, you will need 8oz of soft caramel candies.
• Milk: 1 tbsp of milk or cream will be used when we melt the caramels down.
• Salt: Last but not least, grab some flaky sea salt to use on top of the baked cookies! Sprinkling this on top creates the most perfect flavor.

Tools used to make cookies with caramel and salt

You’ll need a handful of kitchen tools to create this recipe. Before you begin, grab the items listed below to create a smooth baking process!

• Large mixing bowl
• Stirring utensil
• Medium mixing bowl
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Microwave-safe dish

To measure out ingredients, you will need the following sized measuring cups: 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 3/4 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make this salted caramel cookie recipe

Salted caramel cookies come together so easily! Simply mix the wet ingredients followed by the dry, and then combine. Be sure to let your dough chill for a few hours so that it reaches the correct texture upon baking.

If you’d like to make two batches, simply double the ingredients above and continue baking as outlined below.

First, preheat the oven to 350°F and grab a large bowl. Add the softened butter and sugars. Beat everything together using a hand mixer until it becomes creamy.

Once creamy, beat in the egg and vanilla.

Then, in a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until everything is well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

After the cookie dough is well mixed, let it chill for 2 hours.

Roll about 2 tbsp of the dough at a time into cookie dough balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are just slightly golden around the edges. Let cool.

While the cookies cool, make the caramel sauce by adding the caramels and milk to a microwave-safe dish. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring between each one until the caramels are fully melted.

Finally, add the caramel to each cooled cookie and sprinkle with sea salt.

Toppings and add-on ideas

In the mood for some toppings? There are so many ideas that you can choose from! Feel free to select a goodie or two from the list below to take your cookies to the next level.

• Crushed pretzels
• Crushed peanuts
• Crushed pecans
• Crushed walnuts
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• White chocolate chips
• Shredded coconut
• Extra caramel drizzle

What makes cookies chewy instead of crispy?

When it comes to achieving chewy vs crispy cookies, the magic is in the type of sugar that you use! Using brown sugar creates a chewier cookie, while cookies with a higher white sugar content get crispier.

Is there a way to soften crunchy cookies?

Though there isn’t a way to change a cookie’s consistency after it’s been baked, you can faux-soften crispy cookies by microwaving them for a few seconds.

Do you put seat salt on cookies before or after baking?

The sea salt touch works best when added to the cookies after baking. We’ll be adding regular table salt to the dough as well. It makes a huge difference in bringing that salty-sweet flavor forward!

What is the best salt to sprinkle on cookies?

Though any type of salt will work as a cookie topping, flaky sea salt tends to be the best! The thick salt pieces taste delicious alongside the sweet flavor of the caramel.

If you manage to have leftover salted caramel cookies (trust me when I say it’ll be tempting to eat them all!), you can keep them stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay nice and fresh for 4-5 days. If preferred, these can also be stored in the refrigerator for a nice chilled finish!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

It’s officially cookie season, which means it’s time to get your recipe lineup ready! Here are some more tasty cookie ideas to try:

• Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
• Lemon Ricotta Cookies
• Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
• Pudding Cookies

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa