ultimate Caramel Drizzle Cookies
These buttery cookies with a golden caramel drizzle are the ultimate treat for any dessert lover. Their rich flavor, soft texture, and endless customization options make them a must-bake classic.
Ingredients
For the Hard Caramel
- 1 batch of 5-Minute Hard Caramel
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 ½ cups 330 g packed light brown sugar
- 16 tablespoons 226 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons 19 g pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 ¼ cups 439 g all-purpose flour (measured correctly for accuracy)
- 1 ½ cups 255 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped or chips
- Sea salt flakes for topping optional
Instructions
For the Caramel
- Prepare a batch of hard caramel by following the steps in How to Make Hard Caramel up to the point where the sugar begins to turn a golden bronze color. Immediately pour the hot caramel onto a prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it out evenly to a thickness of about ¼ to ⅛ inch. Let the caramel cool completely until it hardens. Once fully set, break or chop it into small, chocolate chip-sized pieces and set aside for later use.
For the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Cream them together on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the second. Once both eggs are mixed in, add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and continue mixing on medium speed for about 1 minute until thoroughly blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
- Add the all-purpose flour and stir gently until the mixture is just combined and streaks of flour are still visible. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed evenly. Add in the chopped dark chocolate and the previously prepared caramel pieces, stirring until both are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Scoop out dough using a 2-tablespoon scoop and place the dough balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake each sheet one at a time on the center rack of the oven for approximately 11 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and gently reshape them into circles using the edge of a silicone spatula. Return the tray to the oven and bake for an additional 1 minute. The cookies should still look slightly underbaked in the center. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. If desired, sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt before serving.