These Salted Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies are easy to make & ooey-gooey delicious. Deep rich chocolate cookies wrapped around a chocolate-coated caramel then rolled in sugared nuts. I guess you could say they're like a molten lava cake in cookie form! Perfect to add to your holiday cookie tins.
I'm on a roll now with my holiday baking in full swing. And these caramel chocolate cookies are always on my Christmas baking list. In fact, just thinking about them has me drooling over here!
These chocolate caramel cookies combine two of my favorite flavors - chocolate and caramel. And the ooey-gooey caramel makes all the difference in some of my most popular cookies. Cookies like Pecan Turtle Cookies, Take 5 Caramel Oatmeal Bars, and Turtle Cheesecake Cookies.
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These caramel-filled cookies are ones my kids always volunteered to help me make. I'm not sure whether it was because they got to snitch the Rolos (when I supposedly wasn't looking), or because they loved the final result. Maybe it was both!
Why you should make these caramel filled chocolate cookies
- Super easy to make and you get to snitch some candy
- They're full of chocolaty fudge-like goodness
- Of course, it's got to be the oozing caramel
- Or maybe, it's the sweet-salty combo that puts them over the top
Frequently asked questions
They will keep 4-5 days in an airtight container on the countertop.
Absolutely! The cookies will freeze well for at least 4 months. You can also freeze the dough, tightly wrapped, for 4-6 months.
The salt enhances the flavors and helps the sweetness of the cookie to shine.
Nope. If you're not into caramel, try using mini peanut butter cups or even Dove chocolate.
How to Make Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients. Leave the heavy cream in the refrigerator until after the cookies are baked.
Chocolate Cookies
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- Stir to combine then set aside.
- Cream butter with electric mixer. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar while continuing to mix.
- Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Turn mixer down and add dry ingredients slowly.
- Chocolate cookie dough done. Now wrap in plastic or wax paper nd place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
When it's time to put the caramel-filled cookies together, remove the dough from the fridge and the Rolos from the freezer.
- Sweeten the chopped nuts with sugar. Place on flat plate.
- Take a heaping tablespoon of chocolate cookie dough and flatten with fingers. Place Rolo in center and wrap the dough around it. Make sure there are no gaps because you don't want your surprise center oozing out.
- Roll cookie ball in sweetened nuts.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. You should see cracks beginning to form on the top of the cookies. Let cool.
Caramel Drizzle for cookies
- Place caramels and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat in microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in-between, until melted and smooth.
- Place melted caramel in small resealable plastic bag, snip a hole in one corner and drizzle over cookies. Because there is never enough caramel!
- Sprinkle with coars sea salt while caramel is still warm.
Hint: Place cookies over a parchment-lined baking sheet to make cleanup a breeze!
I have to warn you, these salted caramel cookies are downright dangerous! They are like eating a lava cake in cookie form.
Just break one open and look at all that caramel just oozing out. Not to mention the dark chocolate and that sweet-salty combo. Makes me want to run to the kitchen and get one for a snack right now! So what are you waiting for? You should start baking these salted caramel chocolate cookies right now!
Tips & Tricks
- DO NOT OVERBAKE! It is hard to tell when dark-colored cookies are done but when the baking time is up take them out. They will look undone but will finish baking as they cool.
- You can make the dough a day or two ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to assemble and bake the cookies.
- Use a coarse salt for garnish as it will sit on top of the cookie. Never use table salt as it will just sink into the cookie making them too salty.
- Don't use Kraft caramels in place of the Rolos as they tend to stay very firm after baking. And you definitely want that warm, soft, oozing caramel.
Variations
Substitute any small soft, meltable candy in place of Rolos. You can try Dove chocolates or even mini peanut butter cups.
Don't like nuts? Either leave them out altogether or replace them with your favorite nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds.
Want more decadence? Add a drizzle of dark chocolate too!
Best Christmas Cookie Recipes to Add to Your List
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies - soft & chewy peanut butter cup cookies surrounding a mini peanut butter cup
Orange Pistachio Biscotti - orange-flavored biscotti filled with plenty of pistachios then dipped into dark chocolate
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies from Joyous Apron - soft, thick chocolate cookies stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows
Chocolate Crackle Cookies - are sweet, fudgy, chocolaty cookies with a snow topping
Almond Shortbread Cookies - are sandwich cookies with chocolate filling
Find lots of Christmas cookie recipes here on 2CM!
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Salted Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅜ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅜ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 24 Rolos or other chocolate covered caramel candy
- ¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 6 caramels
- 1 ½ teaspoons heavy cream, half & half or light cream
- 1 Tablespoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
Chocolate Cookies
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter for a minute or until creamy. Add sugars and continue to beat until smooth and well incorporated. With mixer still running, add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
- With mixer still running, add egg, and vanilla extract.
- Turn mixer speed down and add flour mixture slowly and beat until well mixed.
- Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. This will make it easier to form around candies.
- While dough is chilling, unwrap Rolos and place in freezer so they are firm and easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Mix chopped nuts and 1 tablespoon sugar together in small bowl.
To Assemble
- Take a heaping tablespoon of dough and flatten with fingers. Place 1 Rolo in the center and wrap dough around it. Then roll in hand to form a ball. Drop into nut-sugar mixture and roll around to coat. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing each cookie about 2" apart.
- Roll in sweetened nuts to coat. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing each cookie about 2" apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until tops start to crack. Remove from oven and cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Caramel Drizzle
- In a microwave-safe bowl, place caramels and cream. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in-between, until caramels are melted and smooth.
- Drizzle over cookies then sprinkle with a little sea salt.
- When glaze has cooled, store in airtight container.
Notes
- DO NOT OVERBAKE! It is hard to tell when dark-colored cookies are done but when the baking time is up take them out. They will look undone but will finish baking as they cool.
- You can make the dough a day or two ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to assemble and bake the cookies.
- Use coarse salt for garnish as it will sit on top of the cookie. Never use table salt as it will just sink into the cookie making them too salty.
- Don't use Kraft caramels in place of the Rolos as they tend to stay very firm after baking. And you definitely want that warm, soft, oozing caramel.
Nutrition
This post has been updated with step-by-step directions and new photos. It was first published on December 9, 2015.
