Chewy centers, gooey caramel pockets, rich chocolate chips, and a kiss of sea salt—these cookies are everything a sweet-salty lover dreams of. Perfect for bake sales, cozy nights, or anytime you want to impress with minimal effort.
📋 Recipe Snapshot
Yield: ~24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
Total Time: ~30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Flavor Profile: Sweet, salty, buttery, chocolatey
🧾 Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Mix-ins & Finish:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup caramel bits
½ tsp sea salt, for sprinkling
🧰 Tools You’ll Need
Large mixing bowls
Hand or stand mixer
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Wire cooling rack
Cookie scoop (optional but helpful)
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat Oven
Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2️⃣ Cream Butter & Sugars
In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3️⃣ Add Eggs & Vanilla
Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
4️⃣ Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
5️⃣ Fold in the Good Stuff
Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips and caramel bits gently.
6️⃣ Scoop and Space
Scoop dough into 1–1½ tablespoon-sized balls and place on the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading.
7️⃣ Bake to Perfection
Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and centers look slightly underbaked (they’ll firm up as they cool).
8️⃣ Salt and Cool
Immediately after baking, sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sea salt. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
🌟 Pro Tips
Don’t overbake! Slightly soft centers ensure that chewy, bakery-style texture.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm or you want thicker cookies.
Customize it: Swap in white chocolate, toffee bits, or chopped nuts.
Make ahead: Freeze scooped dough for up to 2 months—bake straight from frozen with 1–2 extra minutes.
🍽️ Serving & Storage
Serve warm with milk or coffee.
Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.
Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.