Dark Chocolate Caramel Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Dark Chocolate Caramel Cookies

These dark chocolate caramel cookies are rich, fudgy and oozing with caramel. The cookies are incredibly soft with a rich chocolate flavor that balances perfectly with sweet, salted caramel. Surprisingly simple to make - these cookies look and taste gourmet!

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Chilling1 30

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Caramel Chip Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Cookies

Servings: cookies

Author: Fiona Dowling

Equipment

Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (156 grams)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (45 grams)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams) softened but not melted
2/3 cup brown sugar (140 grams)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips (about 90 grams) plus more for dotting on top of cookies, optional
16 salted caramels
sea salt for sprinkling on top of each cookei

Instructions

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt. If the cocoa powder is lumpy, be sure to sift it first. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Beat the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture until combined.
With the mixer on low speed, mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture about 1/2 at a time. It should be slightly difficult to incorporate all of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Cover the bowl and place the bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes or up to 48 hours.
Take the dough out of the fridge. If it's been in the fridge overnight, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes so that the dough is easier to work with.
Scoop out about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough (I use a cookie scoop for this). Flatten the dough slightly and place 1 caramel on top of the cookie dough. Scoop out another 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough and place on top of the caramel. Pinch the dough around the sides of the caramel so that it's entirely covered with cookie dough. Then roll the cookie into a ball. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
Place the dough balls on a plate and cover with plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the lined sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time in the preheated oven. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
Remove from the oven and add a few extra chips and a sprinkling of sea salt on top of each cookie. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Notes

Caramels: I recommend using a soft caramel - something that's softer and easier to chewy than the Kraft caramel squares. Do not use a dollop of caramel sauce, as it will melt through the cookies. I chocolate covered caramel - such as a Rolo will work, but you will get less caramel in your cookie.
Make Ahead Tips: Cookie dough can be kept for up to 48 hours in the fridge. To freeze cookie dough, make the dough and form the cookies into balls with the caramel inside. Place cookie dough balls in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the cookies from frozen - it'll likely take 1 minute longer.
Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 16 equal-sized cookies.

Nutrition