These Caramel Cookies are irresistible! Whether you make them with stamped cutters or as a traditional thumbprint cookies, they're going to be out of this world delicious!
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These Caramel Cookies have the nutty richness of browned butter paired with the silky sweetness of dulce de leche! If you enjoy a sweet and salty treat, sprinkle them with some flaky sea salt for the perfect finishing touch!
If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Strawberry Jam Cookies, Turtle Pie, and 25+ Christmas Cookies!
Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make these fantastic cookies! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.
- Flour - Provides structure for the cookies. I used all-purpose flour.
- Salt - Helps to balance and enhance the flavors of the cookies.
- Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. I use unsalted butter for better control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Granulated Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the cookies moist.
- Egg Yolks - For moisture and richness. Using yolks only in this recipe makes the cookies super tender.
- Caramel Extract - Caramel extract gives a nice kick of caramel flavor! If you prefer not to use it, you can substitute with vanilla extract, the cookies just won't have quite as much caramel flavor.
- Dulce de Leche - For bold caramel flavor! The dulce de leche is used both in the cookie dough and to fill the cookies.
- Flaky Sea Salt (Optional) - To offset the sweetness of the cookie for a sweet-and-salty treat! Vanilla Salt would also be fantastic!
Hint: If you're looking to use up the leftover egg whites from this recipe, my Black-Bottom Coconut Macaroons and my Strawberry Jam Cookies each use two egg whites! They can also be frozen--just check my 25+ Recipes Using Egg Whites post for details on how!
Instructions
Here's a step-by-step guide to show you how to make these cookies! Additional detail is provided in the recipe card, below.
Making Browned Butter
If you've never made browned butter before, don't let it intimidate you! Browned butter is easy following just a few simple steps!
- Place butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat. As the butter browns, swirl the pan occasionally. Foam will form on top, which is normal.
- As the butter browns, it will bubble and sputter and the foam will begin to dissipate a bit. Keep a close watch!
- The butter is browned when the bubbling and sputtering stops. Place in the refrigerator to solidify.
- The browned butter is ready for use when it sets up to a "softened" butter consistency.
Making Caramel Cookies
Here is an overview of the steps to make these cookies. **For full instructions, including how to make this recipe into traditional thumbprints, see the recipe card, below.**
- Combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add egg yolks, caramel extract, and dulce de leche. Mix to combine.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until the flour is incorporated. Mixture will be crumbly.
- Press the dough together in the bowl and form it into a disc.
- Roll the dough out and cut desired shapes.
- Place the cookies at least an inch apart on a baking sheet, then chill 30 minutes before baking. Once baked and cooled, fill the cookies with dulce de leche.
Hint: If you like a sweet-and-salty treat, I highly recommend sprinkling some flaky sea salt on top of the finished cookies. For a little more interest and vanilla flavor, use some Vanilla Salt instead!
Variations
Here are a few flavor variations you can make with these cookies:
- Add some vanilla flavor - If you want more of a vanilla-caramel flavor, switch out the regular granulated sugar for Vanilla Sugar and the caramel extract for vanilla extract!
- Instead of Dulce de Leche- While the recipe is written for dulce de leche, you can pretty much use any filling you prefer! Salted Caramel (recipe in my Apple Shortcake) or chocolate ganache (from my Chocolate Ganache Cake) would both be delicious!
Equipment
Here are a few things that I used when making this recipe:
- Nonstick Parchment - I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.
- Bowl Scraper - I used a bowl scraper to help gather up the crumbly dough and press it together in the bowl to make a ball for rolling out. The bowl scraper allowed me to keep my hands cleaner and to push the dough together without overworking it.
- Cookie Stamp/Cutters - These little stamps are so pretty, giving you an elevated version of a thumbprint cookie!
- Cookie Scoop - I use a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon in volume) to portion out my cookie dough. Your hands will stay cleaner and your cookies will be more uniform in size/bake more evenly if you use a scoop.
Storage
The cookies will keep in an airtight container on your counter for up to a week. The cookies can't be stacked unless you put parchment or wax paper between the layers.
If you'd like to freeze the cookies, bake, cool, and then freeze unfilled. Then just thaw and fill.
Other Recipes You May Like
Caramel Cookies
These Caramel Cookies have the nutty richness of browned butter paired with the silky sweetness of dulce de leche! If you enjoy a sweet and salty treat, sprinkle them with some flaky sea salt for the perfect finishing touch!
Ingredients
Caramel Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons dulce de leche
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon caramel extract (see note)
Filling/Topping
- ⅓ cup dulce de leche
- flaky sea salt (or vanilla salt), optional (see note)
Instructions
To Brown Butter
- Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, swirl the pan occasionally to help promote even browning of the butter. Foam will form on top, this is normal!
- As the butter browns, it will bubble and sputter and the foam will begin to dissipate a bit. Keep a close watch on the butter, as it's easy to burn! It's easy to know when the butter is done: it will be quiet! Just listen for the bubbling and sputtering to be nearly stopped, then it's perfectly browned! The browning process typically takes 10-15 minutes total.
- After removing the browned butter from the heat, pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to help the butter solidify, stirring every 20 minutes or so. The stirring helps the butter to cool evenly and redistributes the browned milk solids throughout the butter. Your goal is to have a "softened butter" texture to use in the recipe. This took about an hour and a half for me.
For Cookies
- Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add egg yolks, caramel extract (see note), and 2 Tablespoons dulce de leche. Mix to combine.
- Gradually add the flour/salt mixture and mix until you don't see any more flour. The mixture will be a crumbly and won't have formed a ball, and that's okay. Stopping the mixer when the ingredients are just combined will help keep the cookies tender.
- If using cookie stamps: Gently press the dough into a disc. I used a bowl scraper (see note) to help with this, to press the dough together while keeping my hands cleaner and working the dough less. (If making traditional thumbprints, move onto the next step.)
- If using cookie stamps: Roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. It may seem like a fool's errand in the beginning because the dough is crumbly, but I promise it will come together! If making traditional thumbprints: Portion the dough into 1-Tablespoon size balls (see note) and roll between your palms to make them round. Because the dough is a little crumbly, it may feel like it's not coming together right away. Just keep rolling and it will work! Roll the cookies in sugar, if desired.
- If using cookie stamps: Cut out shapes and place on prepared baking sheet at least an inch apart. Chill the dough 30 minutes before baking to help ensure the cookies keep their shape.If making traditional thumbprints: Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets at least an inch apart. Using a fingertip or thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Chill the dough 30 minutes before baking to help ensure the cookies keep their shape.
- Once the cookies have chilled, preheat your oven to 375° F.Bake the cookies until just barely golden, 7-9 minutes for stamped cookies, or 5-7 minutes for traditional thumbprints. I got 36 stamped cookies/46 thumbprints with this recipe.
- Immediately upon pulling from the oven, use a small measuring spoon to press down the centers of the cookies if they rose at all during baking. Cool the cookies on the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, fill each indentation with dulce de leche. I found that warming the dulce the leche made it easier to work with, and I used a small piping bag to pipe the caramel into the center of each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt, if desired. I used Vanilla Salt on mine (see note)!
- The cookies will keep in an airtight container on your counter for up to a week. The cookies can't be stacked unless you put parchment or wax paper between the layers. If you'd like to freeze the cookies, bake, cool, and then freeze unfilled. Then just thaw and fill.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on parchment: I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.
Note on caramel extract: Caramel extract gives a nice kick of caramel flavor! If you prefer not to use it, you can substitute with vanilla extract, the cookies just won't have quite as much caramel flavor.
Note on bowl scraper: I used a bowl scraper to help gather up the crumbly dough and press it together in the bowl to make a ball for rolling out. The bowl scraper allowed me to keep my hands cleaner and to push the dough together without overworking it.
Note on cookie stamps: These little stamps are so pretty, giving you an elevated version of a thumbprint cookie!
Note on cookie scoop: When making this recipe into traditional thumbprints, I use a small cookie scoop that holds about 1 Tablespoon of dough. Using a scoop keeps your hands cleaner and keeps the cookies more uniform in size.
Note on vanilla salt: If you like a sweet-and-salty treat, I highly recommend sprinkling some flaky sea salt on top of the finished cookies. For a little more depth of flavor and vanilla flavor, use some vanilla salt instead!
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 18mgPotassium: 11mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 172IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
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