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Salted Caramel Center Cookies

Soft and chewy brown sugar cookies with a gooey melted caramel center, finished with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie Dough
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large, room temp
  • 1 egg yolk room temp
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel Filling & Topping
  • 20-25 soft caramel candies unwrapped
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
  • 1 tbsp flaky sea salt like Maldon, for topping

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Microwave-safe bowl

Method
 

  1. Whisk flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a medium bowl.
  2. In a separate large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; whisk until glossy.
  3. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Chill dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Roll 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie into balls and place 2 inches apart on sheets.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set. Immediately press a deep indentation into the center of each hot cookie using the back of a measuring spoon. Let cool.
  7. Melt unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth.
  8. Spoon warm caramel into the indentations of the cooled cookies. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt before the caramel sets.

Notes

Chilling the dough is mandatory to prevent the cookies from spreading too flat. If your caramel sets up too quickly while filling, just pop the bowl back in the microwave for 10 seconds.