These salted caramel soft batch cookies are thick, buttery, and loaded with milk chocolate chips and chopped caramel candies, then finished with flaky sea salt.
The dough comes together in one bowl with a stand mixer, and each batch bakes in just over 10 minutes. The centers stay soft for days, and the salt on top balances the sweet chocolate and caramel.
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Why This Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies Recipe Works
Creaming the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy traps air, which gives the cookies a soft, tender center rather than a dense one.
Two kinds of mix ins create layers of flavor. Chocolate chips bring familiar sweetness, while chopped caramel candies leave gooey pockets that stay soft inside the dough.
A pinch of flaky sea salt on top right out of the oven sharpens the flavor and keeps the sweetness from feeling flat.
Ingredients for Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup chocolate covered caramel candies, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Butter. Room temperature butter should be soft but still cool, about the texture of paste when pressed. Melted butter makes flat cookies.
Brown sugar. Dark brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper caramel flavor than white sugar alone.
Caramel candies. Chop them into small pieces so they melt evenly. Whole candies can leak and burn on the pan.
Milk chocolate chips. They melt softly and echo the chocolate coating on the caramel pieces.
Flaky sea salt. Use a light sprinkle right after shaping. Extra fine salt would dissolve and taste harsh.
How to Make Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
1. Heat and line Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugars Beat the butter with both sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the eggs Mix in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until each one disappears.
4. Add the flour Mix in the flour one cup at a time, then add the baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.
5. Stir in the candy On low speed, mix in the chocolate chips and chopped caramel candies.
6. Shape Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll the pieces into balls, and set them 2 inches apart. Press a few extra chips and candy pieces on top.
7. Add salt and bake Sprinkle each ball with a few salt flakes and bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until set at the edges and soft in the middle.
8. Cool Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a rack.
How to Serve Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
Serve the cookies slightly warm with milk or coffee. They sit well beside caramel banana bread pudding on a dessert table, and they are lovely next to a slice of New York cheesecake. Pack a few with strawberry blueberry kefir smoothies for an afternoon snack, or crumble one over a bowl of fresh fruit pavlova.
How to Store and Reheat Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
Cool the cookies completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze them in a bag for up to 3 months. Warm a cookie in the microwave for about 10 seconds to bring back the soft center and melt the caramel.
Tips and Variations for Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
Chill the dough. If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough balls for 30 minutes before baking to limit spreading.
Chop the candy small. Small pieces distribute evenly, and fewer pieces leak onto the pan.
Measure the flour. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it. Too much flour makes cookies dry.
Do not overbake. Pull the pan when the edges are set but the middle looks slightly underdone. The cookies finish on the hot sheet.
Use one pan at a time. Bake one sheet on the middle rack so the cookies brown evenly. About 12 cookies fit on a large sheet.
Skip the raw dough. The dough contains raw eggs and flour, so bake it before tasting.
Swap the chips. Semisweet or white chocolate chips can replace the milk chocolate chips.
Food safety. For general guidance on storing baked goods and leftovers, see this Purdue Extension guide to storing leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
Why are my salted caramel soft batch cookies flat?
Butter that is too warm or a hot baking sheet usually causes spreading. Chill the dough balls and always use a cool pan.
Can I freeze salted caramel soft batch cookies?
Yes. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze unbaked dough balls and bake them straight from the freezer with an extra minute or two.
How do I keep salted caramel soft batch cookies soft?
Pull them from the oven while the center still looks soft, cool them fully, and store them in a sealed container.
Can I use soft caramels instead of caramel candies?
Yes. Chop unwrapped soft caramels small and toss them in a spoonful of flour so they do not clump.
How many cookies does the dough make?
About 24 cookies when you scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie.
Loaded Salted Caramel Soft Batch Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 2 sticks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup chocolate covered caramel candies roughly chopped
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat and line. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the dough. Cream the butter and sugars for 2 minutes, mix in the vanilla and eggs, then mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined.
- Add mix ins. Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped caramel candies on low speed.
- Shape. Roll 3 tablespoon portions into balls, set them 2 inches apart, and top with a few extra chips, candy pieces, and flaky salt.
- Bake. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and the centers look soft, then cool on the sheet for a few minutes.
