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Bakery soft chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with gooey soft caramel candies and baked to perfection. These chocolate chunk caramel stuffed cookies are quite possibly the best cookies for a bit of indulgence.
Pure Decadence: Caramel Stuffed Cookies
Have you noticed that when you stuff ingredients inside other food items, it makes it into the most delicious thing, ever? Stuffing pepperoni pizza ingredients into dough balls, stuffing peppers, stuffing artichokes, and now caramel stuffed cookies.
The base of these caramel stuffed cookies are the softest, most tender, bakery-style chocolate chunk cookie. Stuffed between the cookies are soft, sea salt caramel candies that when baked, melt and bake together with the chocolate chunk cookies resulting in the most decadent treat that you’ll have coming out of your oven. When you break into these soft cookies, the caramel center is so gooey and irresistible. Sweet and salty flavors combined with the rich dark chocolate chunks make this caramel stuffed cookie absolutely decadent.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use the right caramel candies. This is by far one of the most important steps to yield success. You must use a soft caramel candy otherwise the caramel in the center will be stiff. My best suggestion is to use a soft caramel candy like the Trader Joe’s sea salt caramels or Werther’s soft caramels. I tried using Kraft caramels and they didn’t melt as well and were rather stiff after allowing the cookies to cool.
- The second most important step is allowing the cookies to cool before breaking them apart and/or eating. You need the caramels to set up just a bit. If you break the cookies open too soon, everything will just disintegrate, and more importantly, you could burn yourself with that hot caramel center!
- If you prefer chocolate chips to chocolate chunks, you can make a swap for those. You can even use your favorite chocolate variation (dark chocolate, semi-sweet, etc.).
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
Allow the cookies to cool then store them in an airtight container with a slice of white bread for up to 5 days. The slice of white bread will keep the cookies soft and tender.
To freeze the cookies: if you are freezing the cookie dough before baking, form the cookie balls and freeze on the baking sheet. Once frozen, remove the cookie dough and place into a zippered freezer bag. To bake, bake from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and add 2-4 more minutes of additional bake time, or until cookies are baked through and caramel has melted.
If you are freezing baked cookies, allow the cookies to cool then freeze them in a zippered freezer bag. To reheat, bake from frozen in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until cookies are warmed through and caramel has melted.
Chocolate Chunk Caramel Stuffed Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (341 g) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup (330 g) dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (250 g) bread flour, you may use AP flour instead if you don’t have it on hand
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (255 g) chocolate chunks
- ½ cup (88 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 18 soft caramel candies, cut in half to give you 36
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.1 1/2 cups (341 g) unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cup (330 g) dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for 2 more minutes.2 eggs, 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, add flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 2 cups (250 g) bread flour, 4 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until all combined and well-incorporated.
- Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks and finely chopped dark chocolate.1 1/2 cups (255 g) chocolate chunks, 1/2 cup (88 g) dark chocolate
- Take a scoop of cookie dough, roll it into a ball, then using your thumb, press into the center, put the caramel candy in the center, then re-roll the ball to cover the caramel candy. Repeat until all dough has been used up.18 soft caramel candies
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. They will look super soft but they continue cooking after you remove them from the oven.
- Let cool on baking sheet COMPLETELY before you move them to a wire rack. If you move them too soon, they're too delicate so they'll break and the caramel will ooze out from beneath the cookie.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
Man, these cookies look so yum! Can’t wait to make them. Quick question: do you know if I could freeze the cookies and bake them at a later date? Thanks! :)
You could freeze the dough, but I don’t suggest you freeze the dough WITH the caramels inside. Could make your bake time longer to melt the caramels inside (and then you’d have a crispy/overcooked cookie!) or may make the caramels not even melt much at all. So, I’d suggest, if you really do want to freeze the dough, freeze the dough and then form the balls with the caramels inside after the dough comes to room temperature.
GAH, I used to love those Chips Ahoy in the red packaging – i haven’t had them in years, but I bet i’d still love them now. Or even better, i should just make a homemade, fancier version like this!
I can’t wait to try your corn starch tip!
OMG, those look incredible. Fleur de sel caramels are officially on my list for my next Trader Joe’s shopping trip!
These cookies look incredible!! I’ve been drooling since I saw your IG earlier :).
I’m so glad you share this must share immediately recipe! Definitely love every single bite of it.
I love that you stuffed caramels INTO the cookies. I am dying here..these are totally my kind of cookie. And that cornstarch trick…I totally love it! Seriously, who knew?!??
We need to be neighbors so you can stop torturing me with things like this because o m g seriously?
Thanks Julie! So sorry for the confusion. I swear I read the whole recipe! :) Hanging head in embarrassment.
I am doomed when I buy those caramels. Amazing cookies!