Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

Big sweet and salty cookies that are loaded with caramel and dark chocolate then drizzled with more caramel and sprinkled with a touch of sea salt in these Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies. They’re rich and decadent and worth every indulgent bite!

Sweet and Salty Cookies

Have I got an awesome cookie recipe for you today! Big sweet and salty cookies that are loaded with caramel and dark chocolate then drizzled with more caramel and sprinkled with a touch of sea salt.

Chocolate and Caramel Bliss

The combination of chocolate and caramel is so indulgent. I’m always trying to find a way to put them together. Whether it’s a Touchdown Brownie, my Fudge Caramel Stout Cake or my Homemade Candy Bar Recipes. YUM. Oh, and if you haven’t tried my Salted Dulce de Leche Brownies, you MUST. There’s nothing quite so decadently delicious.

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter: provides richness, flavor, and moisture while helping create a tender, chewy cookie texture. You can substitute salted butter just reduce the added salt slightly.
• Granulated sugar: sweetens the cookies and helps create crisp edges and a slightly crackly surface.
• Light brown sugar: adds moisture, chewiness, and a subtle caramel flavor thanks to its molasses content. Dark brown sugar works well as a substitute for a deeper molasses flavor.
• Pure vanilla extract: enhances the chocolate and caramel flavors while adding warmth and depth to the cookies.
• Large eggs: bind the ingredients together while adding structure, richness, and moisture to the cookie dough.
• All-purpose flour: provides the structure and stability that holds the cookies together. A measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend can usually be substituted successfully in equal amounts.
• Dark cocoa powder: gives the cookies their deep chocolate flavor and rich dark color. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder may be substituted, though the cookies will have a lighter color and milder chocolate flavor.
• Baking soda: helps the cookies spread properly and creates a softer, lighter texture.
• Kosher salt: balances the sweetness and intensifies the chocolate and caramel flavors. Fine sea salt or table salt can be substituted; use slightly less table salt since it is more concentrated.
• Dark chocolate chips: add pockets of rich chocolate flavor throughout the cookies. Semi-sweet, bittersweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or chopped chocolate bars can all be used instead.
• Caramel bits: create chewy caramel pockets throughout the baked cookies without needing to unwrap candies. Chopped soft caramel candies can be substituted if caramel bits aren’t available.
• Thick caramel topping: swirls into the dough for extra caramel flavor and is drizzled over the baked cookies for a decadent finish. A thick homemade caramel sauce or dulce de leche can be used instead, as long as it’s thick enough not to make the dough too wet.
• Flaky sea salt (for garnishing): adds a finishing touch that balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate and caramel flavors. Maldon salt, fleur de sel, or a very light sprinkle of coarse sea salt are excellent substitutes.

Supplies:

• 2 cookie sheets
• Parchment paper
• Electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Cookie scoop

How to Make Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and eggs until well combined.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
• Add to the butter mixture, one cup at a time, until just combined.

• Stir in the dark chocolate chips and caramel bits.
• Fold in 1/2 cup caramel topping until evenly swirled throughout the dough.
• Scoop 1/4 cupfuls of dough a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

• Bake until tops are just starting to crack, but still soft in the middle, about 16 minutes. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through baking time.

• Drizzle remaining caramel sauce evenly over hot cookies and then sprinkle each cookie with a little flaky sea salt.
• Let cool completely on cookie sheets.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Baked cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag with parchment between layers. To freeze the dough, scoop it into portions and freeze on a baking sheet until solid before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.

If you make my Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me  @thebakermama on Instagram so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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