These soft and gooey caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies couldn’t be any more irresistible!
Chocolate chip cookies are near perfect all on their own, why mess with a good thing?
Because a gooey caramel surprise inside each chocolate chip cookie takes them to a whole new level. Add a sprinkling of flaky sea salt on top and no one will be able to resist one (or three)!
These cookies are sure to become everyone’s favorite. Serve them warm from the oven for oozing melted caramel centers, or let them cool and enjoy a bit of chewy caramel in every bite.
Unsalted vs Salted Butter
I almost always bake with unsalted butter (you can read more about why here), but I make an exception for chocolate chip cookies. I love how the extra salt boosts the flavor and enhances that ‘sweet and salty’ factor in these cookies.
You can choose either unsalted or salted butter for these caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies, but I highly recommend using a quality butter like Challenge Butter. Challenge butter is made the old-fashioned way, with the freshest milk from family-owned dairies. There’s no hormones, additives, or fillers. And Challenge is actually the only dairy product company that controls the whole process of making butter— from milking the cows, to transporting milk, to making the butter, to packaging.
Better butter makes better cookies!
How to make these caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies
I assumed I would have to make several adjustments to my chocolate chip cookie recipe to get these stuffed cookies to work, but they were perfect on the first try. Several batches later I can confirm that they are delicious and so simple to make!
There’s no chilling required, and only a few extra minutes of work needed.
Here’s a few notes to make sure you have success too:
- I tested this recipe with several brands of caramel candy and they all worked great with slight differences. Softer ‘old-fashioned’ caramels will melt more into the cookie as it bakes, and firmer Kraft caramels will retain their shape and cookies will have a slight domed top.
- Caramels should be about 1/2-inch sized cubes. Roll them in your hand to round out the corners, which will make it easier to roll the cookie dough around the caramels.
- The caramels should be completely covered with cookie dough. Any visible caramel centers will melt out into a puddle during baking.
- Bake cookies on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so any caramel that does seep out (usually on the cookie bottoms) won’t stick to the sheet pan.
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature, but still offers resistance when you press it with your finger. Butter that is too soft will cause cookies to spread too much and these stuffed cookies may not work. See my tips for how to quickly bring butter to room temperature. I usually just let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes before I start.
- Flaked sea salt is my favorite way to add a little flair to baked cookies. Here’s the kind I use.
- Cookies served warm from the oven will have soft melted caramel centers. Cookies served at room temperature will have firm chewy caramel centers. Both ways are delicious! To rewarm cookies, put them microwave for 15 seconds or 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Challenge Salted Butter (200 grams), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (213 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (330 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (350 grams)
- About 36 caramels, see notes
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
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1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line sheet pans with parchment paper.
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2
With an electric mixer beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar on high speed until pale, creamy, and mixture sticks to the sides of the pan, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once or twice.
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3
Add eggs one at a time, mixing and scraping down bowl after each. Mix in vanilla extract.
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4
Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips.
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5
Portion into rounded tablespoons (I use a #40 cookie scoop, 1 ½ tablespoon) and place on prepared sheet pan, about 8 cookies to a pan.
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6
Press caramels into the center of each cookie round. Use your hands to push cookie dough completely over the caramel so it’s covered and roll into a ball. Return to the cookie sheet.
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7
Bake until tops just turn brown, 9-10 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack too cool completely.
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8
Repeat with remaining dough and caramels.
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!
I have tested this recipe with several brands of caramel candy and they all turned out delicious with slight differences. Softer ‘old-fashioned’ caramel will melt more into the cookie as it bakes, and harder Kraft caramels will retain their shape and cookies will have a slight domed top. Caramels should be about 1/2-inch cubes. Cut caramels in half if needed. Roll them in your hands to round corners. Serve warm for melty caramel centers. Cookies can be rewarmed in the microwave for 15 seconds or in a 350°F for a few minutes. Cookies are also delicious with cooled chewy caramel centers.
