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Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Salted caramel chocolate chip cookies with golden edges and centers that stay slightly underdone for a soft, chewy bite. Fold in chocolate chips and caramel bits, then finish with flaky sea salt for a sweet-salty contrast.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 28 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Mix-ins and topping
  • 1.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup soft caramel bits or chopped soft caramels
  • 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 375F, then line baking sheets with parchment (set sheets aside so the oven is ready for scooping).
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together until evenly combined and no dry streaks remain.
Cream the sugars and add wet ingredients
  1. Beat unsalted butter and both sugars until very light and fluffy (about 2 minutes) so the cookies bake up tender.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then mix in vanilla extract until smooth and cohesive.
Combine, scoop, and bake
  1. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until no dry flour pockets remain.
  2. Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips and soft caramel bits or chopped soft caramels until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  3. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and place on the parchment-lined baking sheets with spacing between cookies.
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375F until golden at the edges but the centers still look slightly underdone.
  5. Immediately press extra semi-sweet chocolate chips and caramel onto the tops if desired, so they adhere while warm.
  6. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt for topping, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring.

Notes

Pro tip: pull the cookies as soon as the edges turn golden while the centers still look a touch soft—carryover baking will finish them without drying out. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (check it measures by weight and includes xanthan gum).