Decadent Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies: A Layered Dessert Dream

Get ready for a dessert experience that transcends the ordinary. Our Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies are a symphony of textures and flavors, combining the rich chewiness of fudgy brownies, the sweet delight of egg-free chocolate chip cookie dough, and the luscious surprise of caramel-filled chocolate morsels. This recipe isn’t just a treat; it’s a celebration of all things delicious, designed to impress and satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth.

This recipe was developed in partnership with Nestlé® Toll House®. As always, my commitment is to bring you delicious, well-tested recipes, and I appreciate your support for the brands that make this possible. All opinions, text, and photographs are my own.

The Inspiration: A Quest for Unforgettable Flavors

There’s something truly magical about the holiday season that draws me to the baking aisles of grocery stores. It’s a yearly ritual – a treasure hunt for unique seasonal flavors, innovative ingredients, and exciting culinary possibilities. While pumpkin spice and gingerbread make their fleeting appearances, some flavors, like the timeless combination of caramel and peanut butter, hold a permanent place in our hearts (and our pantries!). This annual exploration often sparks new recipe ideas, pushing the boundaries of classic desserts.

Discovering Nestlé® Toll House® DelightFulls™

One crisp October day, just before Halloween, I was on my usual quest for chocolate chips when a gleaming new product caught my eye: Nestlé® Toll House® DelightFulls™ Filled Baking Morsels. Had you heard about them? I certainly hadn’t! These innovative morsels were a game-changer, promising a delightful burst of flavor from their filled centers. Available in four enticing varieties – caramel, peanut butter, mint, and cherry – I knew immediately I had to experiment with them. The idea of a chocolate chip that offered an unexpected creamy filling was simply too exciting to pass up.

When Nestlé approached me to create a recipe featuring these exciting new baking morsels, I knew it couldn’t be just any recipe. A simple chocolate chip cookie, while delicious, wouldn’t do justice to the unique filling. It needed to be something truly spectacular, a dessert that would allow the DelightFulls™ to shine, creating a memorable experience with every bite. The challenge was to integrate them into a dessert that was both familiar and extraordinary.

Why Cookie Dough Brownies? Layers of Pure Indulgence

Lately, I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with cookie dough recipes. From peanut butter cookie dough sandwich cookies to a festive cookie dough cheese ball and even cookie dough ice cream pie, the allure of that unbaked, sweet dough is undeniable. It struck me that a cookie dough layer would be the perfect canvas to showcase the unique filling of the Nestlé® Toll House® DelightFulls™ without it getting lost in the mix. The smooth, sweet dough provides an excellent contrast and complement to the richer brownie layer.

Then, my thoughts turned to my all-time favorite marshmallow brownies – rich, fudgy, and utterly irresistible. The idea clicked: combining my love for decadent brownies with my newfound cookie dough passion. The result? These glorious Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies, a true showstopper featuring three incredible layers:

• A supremely fudgy caramel brownie base, rich and moist.
• A generous, egg-free chocolate chip cookie dough middle layer, packed with those surprise caramel-filled morsels.
• A smooth, hardened chocolate topping for that perfect, shiny finish.

Whether you’re baking for a holiday gathering, a special occasion, or simply to treat your family to an extraordinary everyday dessert, these decadent caramel brownies are guaranteed to be a hit. They are the epitome of indulgence, offering a harmonious blend of textures and intensely satisfying flavors that will leave everyone craving more.

The Magic of Egg-Free Cookie Dough

What is it about raw cookie dough that holds such an irresistible charm? Perhaps it’s the “forbidden fruit” aspect, the nostalgic allure of sneaking a spoonful while baking, even though we know it’s traditionally not recommended. While eating raw cookie dough made with eggs typically carries a salmonella risk, our recipe circumvents this concern entirely! This cookie dough layer is completely egg-free, meaning you can indulge in every spoonful (before it even makes it to the brownies!) without a worry. It’s safe, sweet, and utterly delightful, providing all the nostalgic flavor without any of the apprehension.

The Star Ingredient: Caramel DelightFulls™

The true genius of these brownies lies in the Nestlé® Toll House® Caramel DelightFulls™ Filled Baking Morsels. Imagine biting into a seemingly ordinary chocolate chip, only to discover a warm, gooey center of rich, luscious caramel. It’s a delightful and unexpected surprise that elevates these brownies from great to truly exceptional. This burst of caramel flavor perfectly complements the chocolate, adding a complex layer of sweetness and a wonderfully chewy texture. It’s this unique feature that distinguishes these brownies from any standard chocolate chip variety, making each mouthful a truly memorable experience.

Flavor Variations and Customization

While the caramel-filled morsels are a personal favorite and a perfect fit for this recipe, these Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies are wonderfully versatile. If you’re a fan of peanut butter, you could easily swap the caramel DelightFulls™ for the peanut butter-filled variety. To enhance the peanut butter experience even further, consider adding a touch of creamy peanut butter to your brownie base or swirling it into the chocolate topping for an extra layer of nutty flavor. The possibilities are endless when it comes to customizing this decadent dessert to your taste, allowing you to experiment with different flavor profiles and create your own signature brownie sensation.

Crafting the Perfect Fudgy Brownie Base

For me, a brownie isn’t truly a brownie unless it’s gloriously fudgy, dense, and intensely satisfying. And these certainly deliver! The base layer of these layered brownies is rich, deeply chocolatey, and wonderfully moist, providing the perfect foundation for the cookie dough. This luscious texture is achieved through a careful balance of ingredients, ensuring a brownie that melts in your mouth. The brownie base is further enhanced by the addition of caramel sauce and those magical caramel-filled chips, which help tie all the flavors together and deepen the overall caramel profile. This thoughtful combination ensures that every element of the brownie harmonizes beautifully with the cookie dough layer.

You can opt for a high-quality homemade caramel sauce for an extra touch of gourmet flair and freshness, or simply use your favorite store-bought brand for convenience – either will work wonderfully. Trust me on this: when it comes to caramel in a brownie, you can truly never have too much! The more caramel, the more decadent and irresistible the fudgy base becomes, setting the stage for the next incredible layer.

Tips for Success and Storage

Achieving bakery-quality layered brownies at home is simpler than you might think with a few key tips and tricks. Follow these guidelines to ensure your Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies turn out perfectly every time:

• Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Always line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This simple step makes lifting the cooled brownies out incredibly easy, allowing you to achieve clean, perfect squares without any fuss.
• Don’t Overbake the Brownies: For that coveted fudgy texture, pull the brownies from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, not completely clean. A little fudginess in the center is ideal, as the residual heat will continue to cook them slightly as they cool. Overbaking leads to dry brownies.
• Cool Completely: Patience is a virtue when making layered desserts! Allow the brownie layer to cool completely to room temperature before adding the cookie dough. This prevents the cookie dough from melting prematurely and ensures distinct, beautiful layers.
• Chill for Clean Cuts: After adding the cookie dough and chocolate topping, refrigerate the brownies until firm. This is crucial for allowing all layers to set properly, ensuring beautifully neat and clean slices when you cut into them.
• Room Temperature for Serving: While chilling is crucial for cutting, these brownies are best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warmed. This allows the fudgy brownie layer to soften, the cookie dough to achieve its ideal texture, and the caramel centers of the DelightFulls™ to become wonderfully gooey.
• Storage: Store any leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, individual squares can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.

More Delicious Brownie Recipes to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with these layered marvels and are looking for more ways to satisfy your brownie cravings, you might enjoy exploring some of my other tempting brownie creations:

• Guinness Brownies: Rich, dark, and infused with the deep, complex flavors of stout for a sophisticated twist.
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies: A romantic and fruity twist on the classic, perfect for special occasions.
• Peanut Butter Brownies: A delightful swirl of creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate, a dream for peanut butter lovers.
• Small Batch Brownies: Perfect when you need a quick fudgy fix without committing to a huge pan, ideal for smaller households.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Yield:
16 squares

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour

Ingredients

Brownies

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 tablespoons
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Nestlé® Toll House® Caramel DelightFulls™ Filled Baking Morsels

Cookie Dough

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Nestlé® Toll House® Caramel DelightFulls™ Filled Baking Morsels

Instructions

1. Start with the brownie layer: Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large saucepan, melt together the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Whisk in the caramel sauce.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in cocoa powder, sugar, salt, vanilla, egg, and flour (batter will be thick and somewhat grainy). Stir in the baking morsels.
4. Spread into the pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the edges pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean (you still want a tad bit of chocolate on the toothpick). Cool completely.
5. Once the brownies are cool, make the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
6. Beat in the milk, vanilla, and salt then gradually beat in the flour. Add the baking morsels.
7. Spread on top of the brownie layer and refrigerate at least 15 minutes or until firm.
8. Once the cookie dough layer is firm, in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), melt the semisweet chocolate chips until smooth. Spread on top of cookie dough layer and let harden (you can use the refrigerator to speed this up. Allow the brownies to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares).

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you think! Rate the recipe above, leave a comment below, and/or share a photo on Instagram using #HITKrecipes