Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies Made Easy

These are the cookies that make people stop mid-sentence and just… stare. Deep, fudgy chocolate dough, melty chocolate chunks, and a soft caramel tucked inside that puddles just enough to make a mess—in the best way. There’s a pinch of flaky salt on top because sweet needs a little drama. If you’ve got a craving and maybe a chaotic day, these Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies Made Easy are the fix. One bowl for the wet, one for the dry, and you’re basically there. No fancy equipment, just a wooden spoon and some restraint.

My little crew? They demolish these. I make them after dinner “for lunch boxes,” and then somehow three disappear before they’re even cool enough to move off the tray. My husband keeps claiming the misshapen ones because “they’re not suitable for company,” and I let him because I’m nice like that (and also sneaking one while he’s not looking). These have become the house flex-cookie—fast to make, consistently impressive, and they make the kitchen smell like a fancy bakery that forgives you for burning dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies Made Easy

– Two kinds of chocolate plus a gooey caramel center. It’s a whole situation.
– Flaky sea salt on top so the sweetness doesn’t shout—just sings.
– No mixer required if the butter’s soft. Bowl, spoon, cookie bliss.
– Chill optional. If you’re impatient, bake right away. If you want thick, chill 20 minutes.
– Uses store-bought soft caramels (I see you, shortcut heroes).

How to Make It

Okay, start by softening your butter so it actually creams with the sugars—room temp is the move. Mix butter with brown sugar and a little white sugar until it’s fluffy and glossy. Crack in one egg plus a yolk (chewy magic), splash in vanilla, and stir like you mean it.

In a separate bowl, whisk the dry team: flour, cocoa (Dutch if you’ve got it), baking soda, a smidge of cornstarch for tenderness, salt, and a pinch of espresso powder if you’re feeling bold—it boosts the chocolate without making it taste like coffee.

Dry meets wet, fold until it’s mostly combined, then in go chocolate chips and some chopped chocolate because we’re not playing. Scoop the dough—two tablespoons-ish per cookie—press a little divot, tuck in half a soft caramel, and pinch the dough closed. If the kitchen’s warm or your dough feels sticky, give the scoops a quick chill so they don’t pancake in the oven. If not, straight to the sheet.

Bake at 350°F until the edges set and the centers still look a bit soft. As soon as they come out, sprinkle with flaky salt and let them sit a few minutes so the caramel relaxes. If a caramel escapes, just nudge it back with a spoon while everything’s still warm and melty. No one will know. Everyone will be obsessed.

Ingredient Notes

This module dynamically pulls in recipe-specific ingredients. Follow this exact bullet styling (HTML bold labels only).
– Unsalted butter: Soft, not melted. If it’s greasy, your cookies spread. Beat it with sugar till fluffy—air = chewy edges.
– Brown sugar: Gives that caramel chew. I prefer dark brown for a deeper vibe, but light works too.
– Granulated sugar: Helps the edges crisp. Skipping it makes cookies too soft and a little blah.
– Egg + extra yolk: The yolk is the secret chew. I forgot it once—cookies were fine, not fireworks.
– Vanilla extract: Don’t be shy. Chocolate loves vanilla like fries love ketchup.
– All-purpose flour: Spoon and level. Too much flour = cakey cookies and we’re not doing that today.
– Dutch-process cocoa: Deep color, smoother taste. Natural cocoa works but tastes a bit sharper.
– Cornstarch: Small scoop, big tenderness. Optional, but I like the soft center it brings.
– Baking soda: Lift! If yours is ancient, your cookies will be sad. Replace yearly.
– Espresso powder: Totally optional. It just makes chocolate taste more chocolatey.
– Semi-sweet chips + chopped dark chocolate: Chips for structure, chunks for puddles. Both if you can.
– Soft caramels: The chewy kind. Cut in half and stuff. Caramel sauce won’t work—it oozes out like a toddler at a pool.
– Flaky sea salt: Finishing move. Don’t bake it in; sprinkle at the end.

Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Cream 1/2 cup unsalted butter with 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
3. Beat in 1 large egg, 1 extra yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until glossy.
4. Whisk 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/3 cup Dutch cocoa, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder; fold into the wet until just combined.
5. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate; scoop 2-tablespoon mounds, press a divot, tuck in 1/2 soft caramel, and pinch closed; chill 20 minutes if dough is warm.
6. Bake 9–11 minutes until edges set and centers look soft; tap the pan once, sprinkle flaky salt, cool 10 minutes on the sheet so caramel settles.

What to Serve It With

– Cold milk, obviously.
– Hot coffee or a creamy latte—bitterness + sweet is the dream team.
– Sandwich two around vanilla ice cream and call it dinner. I won’t tell.
– A holiday cookie board next to something citrusy so you get contrast.

Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overbake. If they look perfectly done in the oven, they’ll be over when cool. Pull when middles look slightly soft.
– If caramel leaks, gently push it back with a spoon right out of the oven. Parchment is your best friend.
– Measure flour with the spoon-and-level method. Packed flour = puffy, dry cookies.
– Room-temp butter and egg mix smoother and trap air better.
– Chill if your kitchen is warm or your dough looks shiny. Even 10 minutes helps keep thickness.
– Use light-colored baking sheets; dark ones brown the bottoms fast—reduce time by a minute if that’s all you’ve got.

Storage Tips

Room temp: Keep in an airtight container 3–4 days with a slice of bread to keep them soft. The bread goes stale, your cookies stay plush—magic.
Fridge: Totally fine if you like a firmer chew and thicker caramel. Cold, they’re fudgy and honestly great breakfast energy.
Freeze baked: Wrap tightly; warm 10–15 seconds in the microwave for melty centers on demand.
Freeze dough: Stuffed scoops freeze like a dream. Bake from frozen at 350°F for 11–12 minutes.

Variations and Substitutions

– Cocoa: Dutch-process = smoother, darker. Natural cocoa works; add an extra pinch of sugar if it tastes too sharp.
– Caramels: Use soft wrapped caramels, Rolos, or even chocolate-covered caramels. Caramel sauce won’t behave—skip it.
– Chocolate: Swap chips for all chopped bars for more puddly pockets. Milk chocolate is sweeter; dark keeps it balanced.
– Nuts: Toasted pecans or walnuts are fantastic—about 1/2 cup folded in.
– Gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free baking blend works; chill the dough 30 minutes for best shape.
– Dairy-free: Plant butter + dairy-free chips + coconut milk caramels if you can find them.
– Sweeteners: You can sub coconut sugar for brown sugar 1:1 (slightly drier; add 1 teaspoon milk if needed). Honey or maple syrup will make the dough too wet—save those for another recipe.
– Salt: Fine sea salt in the dough; flaky salt for finishing. Table salt is saltier—reduce by a pinch if using it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies Made Easy

Fudgy double-chocolate cookies studded with gooey caramel pockets and finished with flaky sea salt. Big flavor, minimal effort, and no mixer required.

No ratings yet

Rate This Yum Pin This Recipe For Later! Share The Yum On Facebook Print

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• ▢ 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 pieces large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.75 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ▢ 20 pieces soft caramel candies chopped into 0.5 inch chunks
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer.
• Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until fully combined and glossy.
• In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix just until no dry streaks remain.
• Fold in chocolate chips and chopped caramels. If the dough feels sticky, chill for 10 minutes to make scooping easier.
• Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon portions and arrange 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Lightly flatten the tops and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft. Caramel may bubble—this is normal.
• Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm for the gooiest caramel.

Notes

Tip: Use soft, chewy caramels for best melt. For tidier cookies, freeze chopped caramel pieces for 10 minutes before folding in. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.