Description
Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies combine the best of both worlds: the shiny, crackly tops and fudgy centers of classic brownies enhanced with a luscious pool of buttery caramel in the middle and a touch of flaky sea salt on top. These soft, chewy cookies deliver a bakery-quality experience that’s both indulgent and easy to make at home, perfect for gifting or satisfying any chocolate-caramel craving.
Ingredients
Chocolate Butter Mixture
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, cubed
- 6.5 oz dark chocolate bar (60–70% cocoa), chopped
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Egg and Sugar Mixture
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Caramel Topping
- 11 oz soft caramels (such as Werther’s or Kraft), unwrapped
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Melt Butter and Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cubed salted butter and chopped dark chocolate. Melt them together in 30-second increments, stirring between each until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and let it cool slightly to avoid cooking the eggs when combined later.
- Beat Eggs and Sugars: Using an electric or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, and egg yolk together on high for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and ribbons fall off the whisk in thick trails.
- Combine Chocolate Mixture: With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the cooled chocolate-butter mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat just until fully combined with no yellow streaks visible.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the wet batter until smooth and glossy, resembling brownie batter.
- Scoop Cookies: Using a medium 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, place the dough evenly on the prepared baking sheets, yielding about 16 cookies total. Leave adequate space between scoops to allow spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the tops are shiny and crackled but centers remain soft. (8 minutes is preferred for a fudgy interior.)
- Shape and Indent Cookies: Immediately after removing from the oven, use a round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to shape each cookie into a perfect circle. Press the back of a small spoon firmly into the center of each warm cookie to create a shallow indent for the caramel filling. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.
- Melt Caramel and Prepare Topping: While cookies cool, combine the soft caramels and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Allow the caramel to cool about 5 minutes so it thickens slightly but remains pourable.
- Fill Cookies and Add Sea Salt: Spoon a dollop of the caramel into the center indent of each cookie. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top of each caramel-filled cookie. Allow the caramel to set for approximately 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs help achieve a fluffier batter.
- Do not overbake to maintain the fudgy center.
- Using high-quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa) intensifies the flavor.
- Allow caramel to cool slightly to prevent it from running off the cookies.
- Flaky sea salt enhances the sweet and salty balance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
