We can’t think of a better flavour combination than caramel and chocolate. Mixing these two powerhouse ingredients into a cookie makes one extremely delicious treat. These salted caramel chocolate chip cookies are crisp around the edges and chewy in the middle. Right out of the oven, the chocolate is perfectly melted and the caramel is nice and gooey. The caramel hardens into crunchy toffee bits freckled throughout the cookie as they cool.
This single-ingredient homemade caramel takes chocolate chip cookies to the next level. As the cooked sugar cools, it completely hardens. Break into sugar shards before adding chocolate chips and chopped dark chocolate to the dough. Save a few pieces of caramel and chocolate to place on top of unbaked cookies to give them that bakery-style, puddly chocolate look.
The caramel bits will make the salted caramel chocolate chip cookies spread a bit haphazardly. Use a large round cookie cutter to re-form the cookies just after baking, if desired. Do not touch the hot sugar caramel.
Related: Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
ingredients
directions
You could also sub the caramel for in store-bought toffee bits.
Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
Place 1 cup of granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet. Begin cooking over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan and gently stir with a wooden spoon to ensure that the sugar cooks evenly, but otherwise, try not to disturb the sugar too much.
Cook until the sugar completely melts and turns a medium amber colour. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the caramel onto the prepared pan. Tilt the pan so that the caramel spreads into a thin layer. Set aside until completely cool and the caramel hardens, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the cookie dough. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, mix together the butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix again on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes or until fully combined and uniform.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the dough and mix until mostly combined. Add the second half and mix until the dough comes together.
Next, take the cooled and hardened caramel and crack into small pieces. You can use your hands or crush with a rolling pin. The pieces should range from the size of a small coin to gravel bits. Take care, the little shards of caramel can be sharp!
Add all of the crushed caramel pieces to the cookie dough followed by the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate. Stir with a stiff spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
Use a large cookie scoop to portion out balls of cookie dough – about 3 tablespoons each. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are still a bit soft. Cool the cookies on their pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
