Ultimate Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies: Chewy, Gooey Perfection

Chewy chocolate chip cookies stuffed with gooey caramel in the middle make for an undeniably sweet and wonderfully messy treat that will captivate your taste buds. This isn’t just any cookie; it’s an experience in every bite, blending the classic comfort of a chocolate chip cookie with a delightful, melt-in-your-mouth caramel surprise.

Life is full of choices, and sometimes, picking favorites can be a real challenge. What’s your go-to dessert? Which ice cream flavor truly reigns supreme? And what about that one blog recipe you can’t stop raving about?

Yet, for some questions, the answers flow without a moment’s hesitation. My favorite drink? Coffee, hands down! My favorite color? Teal, of course! And the question that invariably leads me to today’s sensational recipe: What is your absolute favorite cookie? Without a doubt, it’s the timeless chocolate chip cookie!

The inspiration to elevate this classic by stuffing it with luscious caramel struck me after encountering another blog’s oatmeal cookie creation. Little did I know, this simple idea would embark me on an extensive and incredibly rewarding journey of experimentation, leading to the perfection of these heavenly Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The Quest for Perfection: Our Cookie Experimentation Journey

Crafting the ideal stuffed cookie is an art, and like any art, it requires dedication and a willingness to iterate. My journey to the ultimate caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookie involved five distinct approaches, each revealing crucial insights into achieving that perfect chewy texture and molten caramel core. Here’s a breakdown of my experiments and what I learned:

• Attempt 1: Butter-Flavored Shortening and Caramel Squares

  • I prepared the dough one evening and baked it the following day, after an overnight chill. The dough, when thoroughly chilled, took an exceptionally long time to spread in the oven, resulting in taller, less uniform cookies. Leaving some dough out at room temperature for a while before baking helped them spread slightly quicker. The caramel squares themselves were wonderfully soft and gooey when warm, but unfortunately, they solidified into an unpleasantly hard texture once the cookies cooled to room temperature. This meant immediate consumption or reheating was essential.

• Attempt 2: Butter and Caramel Squares

  • For this batch, I tested both chilled and room-temperature dough. The room-temperature dough spread excessively, leading to thin cookies where the caramel often oozed out from the bottoms, creating a sticky mess on the baking sheet. The chilled dough, however, performed beautifully, spreading just enough to achieve a desirable thickness and preventing most of the caramel leakage. Similar to the shortening experiment, the caramel squares were irresistibly soft when hot, but again, they became quite firm and difficult to chew once completely cooled.

• Attempt 3: Butter-Flavored Shortening and Caramel Hershey Kisses

  • My hopes were high for this variation, but the results were less than ideal. The conical shape of the Hershey Kisses proved problematic. After baking, particularly with both chilled and room-temperature dough, the distinctive points of the kisses often poked through the cookie dough, creating an unappealing aesthetic and sometimes even bursting through the surface. This indicated that a flatter caramel candy would be more suitable for stuffing.

• Attempt 4: Butter and Caramel Hershey Kisses

  • Switching from shortening to butter with the Hershey Kisses yielded a similar outcome. The issue wasn’t the fat content but the shape of the candy itself. Again, the Kisses protruded from the baked cookies. This repeated failure solidified my belief that the ideal caramel insert needed to have a flatter, more uniform profile to remain fully encased within the cookie dough.

• Attempt 5: Butter and Rolo Candies

  • This experiment brought me closer to perfection. The Rolo candies, with their flatter shape and chocolate coating, seemed promising. It became evident that the dough absolutely needs proper chilling for optimal results. I rushed this batch, chilling the dough for only 30 minutes, which wasn’t quite long enough. Consequently, the cookies spread thinner than I would have liked. However, the most significant discovery was that the caramel inside the Rolos remained wonderfully soft and pliable even after the cookies had completely cooled down. This was a game-changer! Unfortunately, I ran out of shortening before I could try a Rolo batch with it, but the butter version was a definite step forward.

Key Takeaways for Your Perfect Stuffed Cookie

After extensive testing, my conclusive recommendations for baking the ultimate caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies are clear:

• Use Butter: Butter provides superior flavor and helps achieve that desirable chewy texture.
• Chill the Dough: Always chill your cookie dough for at least an hour. This prevents excessive spreading and ensures the caramel stays perfectly encased.
• Choose Your Caramel Wisely: Opt for either classic caramel squares or Rolo candies. Both work, but offer slightly different experiences.

A crucial point to remember, however, is the nature of your chosen caramel. If you decide to use pure caramel squares, the magic truly happens when the cookies are served warm. Once they cool completely, the caramel inside will harden. But don’t despair! A quick 10-15 second zap in the microwave will bring back that glorious, molten gooiness.

While this might seem like a small “disclaimer” for a cookie, it’s an important consideration. For casual home consumption, reheating is no big deal. But if you’re planning to serve these beauties at a party or a gathering where immediate consumption isn’t guaranteed, Rolos offer a more convenient, always-soft caramel experience without the need for reheating.

The distinction between the two is quite significant: caramel squares scream “CARAMEL” with a pure, unadulterated gooey center, especially when fresh from the oven, offering a substantial pocket of molten gold. Rolos, on the other hand, provide a delightful blend of chocolate with a soft caramel core, a different but equally delicious profile. The choice depends on your desired caramel intensity and serving situation.

For a festive Easter twist, be sure to check out my delightful stuffed Cadbury Egg Cookies!

Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield:
18 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 18 caramel squares or Rolo candies, unwrapped

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and both granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract and the egg for approximately 1 minute until well combined. Gradually add the dry flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined, then fold in the semisweet chocolate chips.
3. Divide the dough into 18 evenly sized balls. Take one dough ball, flatten it into a disc, then carefully wrap it around a single caramel square or Rolo candy, ensuring the caramel is completely sealed within the dough. Repeat for all dough balls. Place the stuffed dough balls on a plate or baking sheet and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours for best results).
4. Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Line two cookie trays with parchment paper. Arrange the cold dough balls on the prepared cookie trays, leaving enough space between them for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown and firm, but the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If any caramel has oozed out, allow it to cool longer on the sheet until the caramel has set before attempting to move the cookies. Serve warm for the most delightful gooey caramel experience!*

Notes

*Special Note on Caramel Squares: If you opt to use caramel squares, these cookies are truly best served warm, as the caramel inside will become firm once cooled. Should they cool down completely, simply microwave them for 10-15 seconds to restore their luscious, gooey center before enjoying.

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Tips for Success & Variations

Achieving cookie perfection goes beyond just the ingredients. Here are a few extra tips to ensure your caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies are consistently amazing:

• Don’t Overmix: Once you add the flour, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten, leading to tougher cookies.
• Quality Ingredients: Use good quality butter, fresh eggs, and your favorite chocolate chips for the best flavor.
• Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking, especially if any caramel decides to escape, and makes cleanup a breeze.
• Don’t Overbake: For that perfect chewy texture, pull the cookies out when the edges are set and golden brown, but the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Sea Salt Sprinkle (Optional): For a gourmet touch, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right after they come out of the oven. This enhances the caramel and chocolate flavors beautifully.
• Different Chocolates: Feel free to experiment with milk chocolate chips or even chopped dark chocolate for a different flavor profile.
• Nutty Addition: For an extra layer of texture and flavor, you could add chopped pecans or walnuts to the cookie dough, complementing the caramel and chocolate wonderfully.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

These caramel stuffed chocolate chip cookies are best enjoyed warm, ideally with a tall glass of cold milk, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or even a dollop of whipped cream. The contrast of the warm, gooey center with a cool beverage or topping is simply divine.

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Remember, if you used caramel squares, a quick microwave session will bring back the gooey goodness. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature and warm gently in the microwave or a low oven for that fresh-baked experience.

Source: Adapted from Nestle Toll House Recipe

If you liked these irresistible Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies, then you may also enjoy exploring these other delightful recipes:

From my kitchen:

• Bacon and Dried Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies – An unexpected savory and sweet combination.
• Double Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies – A dream for peanut butter lovers, with an extra hidden treat.
• Stuffed Hershey Kiss Cookies – A seasonal twist with a delightful chocolate center.

From fellow bloggers:

• Double Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Cookies from Confessions of a Baking Queen – For those who can’t get enough chocolate.
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Caramel Stuffed Cookies from The Dormestic Goddess – A cozy, autumnal cookie experience.
• Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies from The Cooking Photographer – A unique fruit and caramel fusion.