Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies a soft and chewy cookies loaded with rich chocolate chips and gooey salted caramel bits, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty balance.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup soft caramel bits or chopped soft caramel candies
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
(Tip: You'll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
Fold in the chocolate chips and caramel bits evenly throughout the dough.
Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt on each cookie.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Servings and timing
This recipe makes about 24 cookies.
Prep time is around 15 minutes, baking takes 10-12 minutes, and the total time is approximately 27 minutes. Each cookie contains about 220 calories.
Variations
I sometimes swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark or milk chocolate chips depending on my mood. For a nutty twist, adding chopped pecans or walnuts works wonderfully with the caramel. If I want to make these gluten-free, I replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For an extra indulgent version, I drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled cookies.
Storage/reheating
I store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep them soft, I sometimes add a slice of bread in the container. For longer storage, freezing works great—I freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving. If I want a warm cookie, I pop one in the microwave for about 10 seconds to bring back that fresh-baked softness.
FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
I recommend using unsalted butter so I can control the saltiness. If I only have salted butter, I reduce or skip the added salt in the recipe.
What if I don’t have caramel bits?
I chop soft caramel candies into small pieces as a great substitute. Alternatively, you could use caramel sauce drizzled on top after baking, but it won’t be the same gooey chunks inside.
Can I make these cookies vegan?
To make a vegan version, I swap the butter with vegan margarine, use flax eggs instead of real eggs, and check that the caramel bits are dairy-free.
How do I keep my cookies soft?
I avoid overbaking and always take them out when edges are golden but centers still look slightly underbaked. Storing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread helps keep moisture in.
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely! I just double all ingredients and bake on multiple sheets, rotating halfway through to ensure even baking.
Conclusion
I find these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies to be the perfect treat whenever I want something sweet with a hint of saltiness. They’re simple to make, satisfying every craving with soft centers, melted chocolate, and those irresistible caramel bites. Whether it’s for a cozy night in or a crowd-pleasing dessert, this recipe has become a staple I always keep on hand.
Recipe:

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft and chewy cookies loaded with rich chocolate chips and gooey salted caramel bits, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty balance.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup soft caramel bits or chopped soft caramel candies
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and caramel bits evenly throughout the dough.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt on each cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Use unsalted butter to control saltiness; reduce salt if using salted butter.
Soft caramel candies can be chopped if caramel bits are unavailable.
For vegan version, use vegan margarine, flax eggs, and dairy-free caramel bits.
Store cookies in airtight container with a slice of bread to keep soft.
Freeze cookies up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
Overbaking will make cookies less soft; remove when edges are golden but centers slightly underbaked.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg