Thick Salted Caramel Cookies with Flaky Sea Salt

Salted Caramel Cookies

These thick, golden cookies have caramel baking bits inside and glossy caramel streaks across their tops. The bits add caramel throughout the dough; a thick sauce creates the visible drizzle. Bake the cookies on parchment, then wait until they are completely cool before adding the sauce and flaky sea salt.

Makes about 30 cookies. Allow about 55 to 70 minutes for mixing, baking, cooling, and finishing, plus time for additional batches or a brief chill if the dough is very soft.

Ingredients for Salted Caramel Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (225g)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150g)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup caramel baking bits (130g)
• 1/2 cup thick, pourable caramel sauce (about 150g)
• About 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, or to taste

Use caramel baking bits in the dough, not liquid sauce. Save the sauce for the finish; a thin syrup may soak into the cookies instead of leaving distinct streaks.

How to Bake Salted Caramel Cookies

1. Preheat and prepare: Fully preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment; do not grease it. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine salt.
2. Cream the butter and sugars: Beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until lighter and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Finish the dough: Mix in the dry ingredients just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the caramel baking bits.
4. Scoop: Place roughly 2-tablespoon portions on cool, prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart. Tuck bits exposed on the bottoms or edges into the dough. If the portions feel very soft, chill them for 20 minutes to help limit spreading.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered for about 10 to 13 minutes, beginning to check at 10 minutes. If baking on two racks, swap and rotate the sheets halfway through. Rotate a single sheet if your oven browns unevenly. Remove the cookies when the edges are golden and the tops look set rather than wet; the centers may still feel tender.
6. Cool and finish: Let the cookies firm up on their baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle the caramel sauce in visible streaks across the tops and immediately scatter on the flaky sea salt. Let the drizzle settle before serving.

How to Keep Caramel Bits from Sticking

Caramel bits pressed against a hot baking sheet can melt, stick, or scorch. Parchment helps, but tucking exposed bits into each dough portion is especially important where it touches the sheet. Let the baked cookies firm up for about 5 minutes before lifting them.

When to Add the Caramel Drizzle

Wait until the cookies are completely cool. Sauce can run off hot cookies or soak in rather than staying in glossy streaks. Choose a thick sauce that still pours easily, and add the flaky salt immediately after drizzling so the flakes remain visible.

Storing Salted Caramel Cookies

Once the drizzle has settled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Separate layers with parchment because the topping may remain tacky.

For the clearest finish when making them ahead, bake the cookies first and add the sauce and salt shortly before serving. If freezing, freeze the baked cookies without the drizzle, then thaw and finish them before serving. Finished cookies do not need reheating; heat may make the drizzle run.

For a separate chocolate option, try brown butter chocolate chip cookies with flaky salt.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 30 cookies: 160 calories, 2g protein, 7g fat, and 22g carbohydrates. Per 100g of finished cookies: approximately 440 calories, 5g protein, 20g fat, and 61g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; caramel products, drizzle amounts, and finished cookie weights vary.