Description
This recipe enhances the classic chocolate chip cookie with a rich, salted caramel swirl, creating a chewy cookie with crispy edges and pockets of salty-sweet caramel.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (for dough)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for dough)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 2 tablespoons water (for caramel)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature (for caramel)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, warmed slightly (for caramel)
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (for caramel)
Instructions
- Make Salted Caramel Sauce: Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl gently until sugar melts and turns deep amber (5-8 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Finish Caramel Sauce: Whisk in cubed room-temperature butter until incorporated; slowly pour in warmed heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Stir in flaky sea salt. Let the caramel cool completely to room temperature (at least 1 hour, or chill for 30 minutes).
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a small bowl.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in vanilla extract, then add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand.
- Swirl Caramel: Pour 1/2 cup of the cooled caramel over the dough. Gently fold the caramel into the dough 2-3 times with a spatula, creating ribbons and streaks. Do not overmix.
- Bake Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and centers are still soft. Cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Garnish (Optional): Drizzle remaining caramel and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of the finished cookies.
Notes
For best results, make sure the butter for the dough is fully softened, not melted. Ensure the caramel is completely cool before adding it to the dough to prevent the cookies from spreading too flat. To avoid tough cookies, do not overmix the dough after adding the flour. For chewier cookies, remove them from the oven while the centers are slightly soft; they will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Prep Time: 80 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 205 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg