Sea Salt Caramel Cookies (Printable Version)

Chewy buttery cookies loaded with soft caramel pieces and topped with flaky sea salt for ultimate sweet-salty flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

09 - 1 1/2 cups soft caramel candies, chopped into small pieces
10 - Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold in chopped caramel candies until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown and centers appear slightly soft.
09 - Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt while warm.
10 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The caramel chunks create gooey pockets of sweetness in every single bite
  • That finishing sprinkle of flaky salt transforms ordinary cookies into somethingbakery worthy
  • They stay chewy for days instead of turning into sad rocks
02 -
  • Chop your caramel candies into small, uniform pieces or you will end up with hard spots instead of gooey caramel pockets
  • Soft, chewy caramels work much better than hard candy caramels that never fully melt in the oven
  • Letting these cookies cool completely is torture but necessary so the caramel sets properly instead of oozing everywhere
03 -
  • Chill your dough for 30 minutes before baking if you want thicker cookies with even chewier centers
  • Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking time to ensure even browning on both pans

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