There’s nothing quite like a cookie with crisp edges, a chewy center, gooey caramel bits, and dark chocolate chunks finished with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt—Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies are simply sublime and loved by both kids and gourmets.
Who’s ready for cookies? I always am. My kids are always ready. My husband begs me not to make them because he can’t resist. He swears the cookies jump into his mouth when he walks past the jar.
Whether or not that’s literally true, I do know one thing: when I make these cookies I have to hide a few or they disappear in minutes. Once I set a cooling rack out, walked down the driveway to get the mail, and returned to find only two cookies left. No guilt visible on anyone’s faces.
What makes these cookies special is the balance of sweet and salty. They have crisp, golden edges and a tender, chewy center studded with dark chocolate chunks and melted caramel bits, finished with a few flakes of coarse sea salt. For me that’s everything a cookie should be—plus a little extra.
My husband normally dislikes it when I “mess with” classic chocolate chip cookies, but after trying these he admitted they were ridiculously good. He even started to request they join the regular cookie rotation—then stopped himself, waved his hands, and said, “NO! Don’t make cookies! I can’t handle the temptation!”
Poor guy. I’ll have to find better hiding spots.
Cook’s Notes
- Line your baking sheets with parchment or a Silpat. This prevents sticking and makes it easy to pre-scoop dough onto parchment on the counter. When a sheet comes out of the oven, slide the hot parchment off and replace it with a fresh pre-scooped sheet for efficient baking.
- About the salt: a coarse flaked sea salt such as Maldon adds a bright finishing note. If you don’t have flaked sea salt, substitute another coarse sea salt or kosher salt. It won’t be identical, but it will still create a pleasing sweet-salty contrast.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the parchment for at least 3–5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. A flexible metal spatula works well for lifting them without breaking.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- If you like a warm cookie, wrap one in a paper towel and microwave in 5-second bursts until warmed through.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter 12 tablespoons or 6 ounces
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar 10 ounces by weight, packed
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup or Lyle’s Golden Syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 9 1/2 ounces by weight
- 2 cups dark or bittersweet chocolate chunks
- 3/4 cup caramel baking bits
- Maldon Sea Salt coarse flakes or other coarse sea salt
Instructions
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Beat the butter, light brown sugar, and corn syrup until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda until even, then beat in the egg until fully combined. Stir in the flour, then fold in the chocolate chunks and caramel bits. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Scoop rounded tablespoons of chilled dough onto parchment- or Silpat-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Lightly sprinkle the tops with coarse sea salt flakes.
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Bake for 14–18 minutes, until the edges are set and golden brown. The centers will still look slightly underbaked; if you prefer chewy cookies, remove them before the center is fully set.
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Let the cookies cool on the parchment for at least 3–5 minutes before transferring with a thin flexible spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition tool.
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