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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
Recipe Tips
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.
Storing leftovers
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:
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
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!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened (1.5 sticks)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 8oz soft caramels
- 1 tbsp milk/cream
- flakey sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add softened butter and sugars. Beat using a hand mixer or stand mixer until creamy.
- Once creamy, beat in egg and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix until well combined, scraping down sides as needed.
- Let dough chill for 2 hours.
- Roll about 2 tbsp dough into balls and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until just slightly golden around the edges. Let cool.
- While cookies are cooling, making caramel sauce by adding caramels and milk to microwave safe dish. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring in between until fully melted.
- Add caramel to each cooled cookie and sprinkle with sea salt.
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Nadia says
These were bomb! I had issues w the cookies sticking together cuz of the caramel and I think I tried stacking them too early but regardless they were soooo tasty!!! I really enjoyed them and think they are better then so many bakeries. Will def make again. Recipe is easy to follow.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nadia, so happy you loved them so much!!
Hillary says
Made these for a friend’s Christmas and everyone loveddddd them! Def will be making these again soon
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Hillary, so glad they were a hit!! 🙂
Emerine says
These cookies tasted great and were a fun, different dessert for the holidays. As someone who isn’t very baking savvy, I was confused if I should flatten the dough balls before baking or not. I didn’t see instruction for this, so I just put them in as balls but they didn’t flatten out much. Ended up pushing them down with a spoon when they came out of the oven so the caramel wouldn’t drip off (still did a little). Now I know for next time.
★★★★
Erin says
Hi Emerine, so glad you liked them!!
Taylor says
Made these and they were an absolute hit! Easy to make and delicious! Cookies are even great without the caramel topping!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Taylor, so happy you loved them so much!! 🙂
Jen says
So delicious! I have already gotten requests to make these again from my family!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jen, so happy you all loved the cookies! 🙂
Danielle says
These taste AMAZING but they all stuck together when I stored them in a container:( any advice?
★★★★★
Kelly says
These are inhaled every single time I have made them. Easy to make but amazing taste. They were the hit of our cookie exchange! Soooo good!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kelly, so happy you loved them so much! 🙂
Kellen says
These are insanely delicious! Will definitely be making again soon!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kellen, so happy you loved them!! 🙂
Cait Bidwell says
Love the salty and sweet combo!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Cait, so glad you loved them!!
Madeline says
Love the sweet & salty combo! So yummy!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Madeline, so glad you loved them! 🙂