If you are looking for another delicious way to enjoy chocolate chip cookies (and who isn’t😊), you will want to try these Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies! Each cookie is loaded with chocolate chips with a hidden caramel center that melts during baking. They are baked to golden perfection with a crispy outer edge and a gooey center, all with a hint of salty goodness from the kosher salt sprinkled on the baking sheet. It’s the perfect mash-up of a cookie, chocolate, and caramel in every indulgent bite! (If it sounds like I love these cookies, I do!) So, if you love the combination of rich chocolate and gooey caramel in these cookies like I do, then you are in for a treat with my Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter to give me the most control over the salt added to the cookies. If using salted butter, you may want to lessen the salt.
- Salt: Besides adding salt to the cookie, dough, I also sprinkled some onto the aluminum foil before baking the cookies. I love how the salt balances out the sweetness of the cookies!
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar adds a warm caramel-like sweetness and extra moisture, giving the cookies their chewy texture.
- Cornstarch: I added cornstarch to the cookie dough to make the cookies softer, and chewier, and help them stay thick instead of spreading too much while baking.
- Chocolate Chips: We can’t leave out the chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies! I used semi-sweet chocolate, but milk or dark chocolate would also be delicious. For an extra sweet option, try the cookies with white chocolate chips! I think adding a few peanut butter chips would be so good, too!
- Caramels: Look for individually wrapped caramel squares. Before adding them to the cookies, unwrap them and press them into a little circle. This ensures they are securely enclosed in the cookies–you don’t want caramel leaking out and getting all over the pan (or your oven)! Plus, you don’t want to miss out on any of that ooey-gooey caramel! If you can’t find the individually wrapped caramel squares, you could add a few caramel bits to each cookie–but that might not give the cookies a thick, gooey center.
Why Line Baking Sheets With Aluminum Foil {Can I Use Parchment Paper Instead?}
Lining the baking sheets with aluminum foil when baking the cookies helps with easy cleanup, especially since these cookies are stuffed with caramel, which can sometimes leak out while baking. The foil prevents the caramel from sticking to the baking sheet, making it easier to remove the cookies and clean up afterward. You can use parchment paper instead (if that is all you have), and it works well too, but the foil might hold up better if the caramel melts and leaks. Both options are good, but aluminum foil is a little more forgiving with sticky ingredients like caramel.
Why Chill The Cookie Dough?
We tested these caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies with and without chilling the dough. For the best results, and for a thicker, chewier cookie, chilling the dough for about an hour was the way to go! Yes, you can skip this step, and the cookies will still be delicious, but they will be flatter and spread quite a bit when baked.
Can I Use Store-bought Cookie Dough?
If you are in a rush, you could use store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough. (But, it is never as good as homemade😜.) Divide about 2 tablespoons of dough in half, place a caramel between the halves, and mold the dough around it. Check for doneness around 8-10 minutes, as store-bought dough may bake faster.
Make Ahead Caramel Stuffed Cookies: {Refrigerate or Freeze}
If you’re looking to save time and enjoy fresh caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies later, here’s how to make them ahead by refrigerating or freezing the dough!
To Refrigerate: Scoop out the cookie dough and stuff each ball with a caramel. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and refrigerate them for up to two days in an airtight container. When you’re ready to bake, just place them on a baking sheet and bake as usual.
To Freeze: Scoop out the cookie dough and stuff each ball with a caramel. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container for storage. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough on a baking sheet and bake, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How To Store Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
To store caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies, first, let them cool. Next, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want a gooey center, pop a cookie in the microwave. For longer storage, freeze the cookies.
How To Freeze Baked Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
To freeze caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze initially (an hour or two). Then, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to bring back the gooey caramel center.
Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups (282 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling over aluminum foil
- 2 cups (336 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 24 soft caramels, unwrapped, flattened to a circle shape (about 1 ½-inches in diameter)
Instructions
- Line one baking sheet with parchment paper. This will be used to chill the filled cookie dough. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and kosher salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips. Mix gently until the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, drop balls of dough onto the lined baking sheet. Divide each ball of dough in half, then flatten each half.
- Place a caramel on one of the flattened halves. Then, place the second flattened half on top of the caramel. Carefully mold the dough around the caramel to fully enclose it, sealing any gaps to prevent the caramel from leaking during baking. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place the filled cookie dough balls into the refrigerator to chill for an hour.
- Towards the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two additional baking sheets with aluminum foil and sprinkle each with kosher salt. Set aside.
- Once the dough has chilled, arrange the cookies on the foil-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are just set. Be careful not to overbake; the cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These cookies are AMAZING! The caramel inside is soft and gooey, and the chocolate chips are so tasty. They are the best of both worlds—chocolate and caramel in one cookie!
Elizabeth
There is nothing bad I can say about these cookies! I mean, chocolate, caramel, and a freshly baked cookie. Yep!
Bella
Every bite of these cookies has the perfect amount of chocolate and caramel. And, I like the hint of salt.
Annabelle
I really like these cookies! They’re soft, and the caramel isn’t too gooey. The chocolate chips make them taste even better.
Selena
These caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies are my new favorite! The caramel inside is so yummy and melts in your mouth, and the cookies are soft and chewy. If you like chocolate and caramel, you have to try these!
