Thick & Chewy Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

A combination of rich, melty chocolate and gooey, buttery caramel together at last in one thick, chewy and utterly perfect cookie!

Right now I’m having a caramel and quesadilla moment. NOT together, FYI.

But for some reason, I am alllll about caramel anything and quesadillas up the wazoo. I just cannot get enough of either.

It’s like I rediscovered them randomly (as if I’d forgotten?) and now am utterly obsessed. I order quesadillas wherever they’re available, and I’ve been cooking up caramel this and caramel that because it’s fall, and fall seems caramel-y. Or caramel seems fall-y? Either way.

So while I won’t be posting any quesadilla recipes anytime soon, I hope you enjoy the influx of caramel recipes. Because I need to finish having my moment, okay?

This recipe is an adaptation of my Deep Dish Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies which I made many moons ago. Those cookies were delicious and continue to be one of my Top 10 recipes on my blog which amazes me because they were kind of an afterthought, if I’m being honest.

Recently, I tried to remake them so I could take better photographs, but when I pulled them from the oven, they had spread everywhere and were a wonky deep dish and not pretty. I figured I’d better tweak that recipe to better reflect the modern times. Also, not everyone has a deep dish cookie pan, and I’d hate for ya to have to start a quest to find one (unless, of course, deep dish things are your jam, in which case, carry on).

So I adapted that recipe to make this one: These Thick & Chewy Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies. A delicious mouthful, if you will, and a MUST make. I know I say that about a lot of recipes on here, but y’all. These cookies are easily one of the best things I’ve ever made. Not even kidding. Even my family, who is usually apathetic about my desserts*, devoured these in no time flat.

*not apathetic in that they think my desserts suck, but more like, they see desserts every day that they’re disenchanted nowadays. Just clarifying! 

This recipe has a couple of fundamental changes to it. First, I use brown butter in this recipe. If you’ve never baked with brown butter before, you must run to the kitchen and make it asap. Brown butter is life-changing! It imparts such a wonderful depth of flavor and nuttiness to whatever it’s made with. The only thing I should say is that you must watch your brown butter carefully while you make it to ensure it doesn’t burn, and you must use real butter, not margarine, in order for it to work.

So brown your butter and cool it for a little bit. Then prepare your dough and refrigerate the whole shebang to set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. I know, I know. The whole chilling process cramps your style. I get it. But it is absolutely imperative that you chill the dough or else the cookies will be flat, crispy saucers on the sheet and then you’ll complain and then I’ll have to treat you like a child and ask you if you chilled your dough. So just cut out the whole middle man and chill it, please?

While your oven preheats, let the dough come close to room temperature to take the chill off. Then use a big ol’ cookie scoop to get yourself a little dough ball which you’ll fill with a chocolate-caramel candy. For these cookies, I used Dove Caramel Candies because they are flatter and bigger than say, Rolos. You can use whatever kind of chocolaty caramel candy you want, as long as it’s soft and not like, those granny caramel hard candies you get at the bank.

Bake it all up and voila, you have easily one of the best cookie recipes at your fingertips. You’re welcome!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Thick & Chewy Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Brown Butter Caramel-Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies are my FAVORITE cookie recipe! Buttery, nutty, thick, soft and chewy and filled with gooey caramel and chocolate. You'll love this recipe!

Prep Time6 hrs 15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time6 hrs 25 mins

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Dessert

Servings: 24 -26

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (salted or unsalted; if using salted, omit salt from recipe)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 24-26 caramel-filled chocolate candies I used Dove Chocolates, unwrapped

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, add the butter over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth and melted. The butter will start to bubble up and foam, so continue to stir it. Eventually the butter will become darker in color and smell slightly nutty. Stir and cook until amber in color and immediately remove from the heat. Do NOT over-cook! It burns quickly, so keep an eye on it. Cool the butter completely.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the browned butter (including the brown bits in the pan!), brown sugar and sugar and beat with the paddle attachment for about 1 minute or until creamy. Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat well. Lastly, add in the baking soda, salt, cornstarch and flour until a soft dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for AT LEAST 4 hours, preferably overnight. This is mandatory.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Let the dough sit out on the counter while the oven preheats, just so it comes closer to room temperature and isn't so cold. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
• Using a 2-Tablespoon-sized cookie dough scoop, scoop out a ball of cookie dough. Flatten it slightly in the palm of your hand and place one Dove chocolate (or whatever caramel-filled chocolate candy you're using) in the middle. Use your hands to wrap the cookie dough around the chocolate candy. Place on the baking sheet 2" apart.
• Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cool on the baking sheets.

Buttery, nutty, gooey and rich, these cookies are unforgettable and a must-make on your baking list!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

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