These Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate sweet-and-salty treat. They combine my favorite chocolate chip cookie dough with a gooey caramel center. Perfectly soft and chewy, these caramel-stuffed cookies are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth and impress any crowd!
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If you’re a fan of soft, chewy cookies with a gooey surprise inside, then these caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies are about to become your new favorite. My go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe features a secret ingredient (hint: it’s cream cheese!) that guarantees a perfectly soft center, and when you add in a rich, caramel filling, the result is pure cookie bliss. Say goodbye to crunchy cookies and get ready to indulge in the ultimate caramel-stuffed cookie experience!
“But does the caramel harden when the cookie cools?” I hear your question and I have an answer! Quite simply put, it does not harden. But that’s only if you (A). choose the right type of caramel and (B). allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack.
If you love stuffed cookies as much as I do, don’t miss my Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies for another delicious twist!
This recipe starts with the same cookie dough as my all-time favorite cream cheese chocolate chip cookies.
- All-purpose flour: Using too much flour can result in cakey cookies, which often happens when it’s packed into the measuring cup. To avoid this, measure your flour correctly by spooning and leveling it off.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise, creating that perfect chewy texture.
- Butter: I bake with unsalted butter 99% of the time because it allows me to easily control the salt level of my recipe. Let it reach room temp before mixing with the sugars—it should indent slightly when pressed but not feel warm. If using salted butter, skip adding the 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Cream cheese: Use regular, full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature for the best results. Avoid cream cheese spreads, as they can make the cookie dough too wet.
- Brown sugar & white sugar: The higher ratio of brown sugar in this recipe gives us those soft, chewy centers, while white sugar gives us those perfectly crisp edges.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure or homemade vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and create a tender texture. Use large eggs at room temperature for even mixing.
- Chocolate chips: I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips in my cookie recipes, but milk, dark or even white chocolate chips would be delicious.
- Soft caramels: I prefer Werther’s Original Soft Caramels because they are easy to roll into a ball and remain soft even after the cookies have cooled.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Follow these step-by-step instructions to create bakery-worthy cookies right in your own kitchen.
- Make the chocolate chip cookie dough. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined, then stir in the chocolate chips.
- Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Stuff the cookie dough with caramel. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and flatten it slightly. Roll a soft caramel into a ball and place it in the center of the dough. Top with another 2 tablespoons of dough, carefully pressing and shaping it around the caramel until fully enclosed. Place the stuffed cookie on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until they are slightly underbaked. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Kelly’s Note: It’s important to underbake the cookies and let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets before moving them to ensure they retain their shape. If you move them too soon, the caramel will be too soft and may sink to the bottoms of the cookies.
- Choose the right caramels. Werther’s chewy caramels work best for this recipe because they stay soft even after the cookies cool. If using another brand, make sure the caramels are pliable enough to roll into balls for easy stuffing.
- Chilling the dough is non-negotiable! It helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking and gives the dough time to develop deeper flavors. A minimum of 2 hours in the fridge is ideal but overnight is even better.
- Fully enclose the caramel in cookie dough. Any exposed caramel can seep out during baking, causing sticking or burning.
- Don’t overbake. For a chewy cookie, take them out of the oven while they are still slightly underdone; they will continue to cook as they cool.
- Line your baking sheets. Bake these caramel-stuffed cookies on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking, especially if a little caramel sneaks out.
- Sprinkle the warm cookies with a pinch of flaked sea salt for a gourmet touch that enhances all the flavors. While it may seem like a minor addition, I can promise you the sea salt will elevate your cookies into sweet, salty dessert perfection!
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Store the caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature.
- Make-ahead dough: Shape and freeze unbaked cookie dough balls (with caramel inside) and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temp
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 16 soft caramels (See Kelly’s Notes)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined, then stir in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
- Using a spoon, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and flatten it slightly. Roll a soft caramel into a ball then place it in the center of the dough. Top the caramel with an additional 2 tablespoons of dough, pressing the dough on top of and around the caramel so it’s completely covered by the dough. Place the cookie on the baking sheet then repeat the filling process with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until they are slightly underbaked. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Kelly’s Notes
- Measure ¼ cup cream cheese by spooning/scraping it into a dry measuring cup and leveling it off.
- I prefer Werther’s Original Soft Caramels because they are easy to roll into a ball and remain soft even after the cookies have cooled.
- It’s important to underbake the cookies and let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets before moving them to ensure they retain their shape.
- Store the caramel-stuffed chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature.
- Freezing dough: Shape and freeze unbaked cookie dough balls (with caramel inside) and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Hi
What method do you use to measure your dry ingredients, such as flour.
Hi Jackie! I have a quick video that explains how to accurately measure flour: https://www.justataste.com/video-how-to-accurately-measure-flour/ Happy baking!
New favorite cookie recipe! Even without the caramels inside, this cookie recipe is now my go-to for basic cookies with any variant of chocolate chip.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle!
Can you use butter instead of cream cheese?
Hi Sharon! This recipe has butter and cream cheese. You won’t taste the cream cheese at all. It’s entirely for texture :)
Better than bakeshop! these cookies are simple to make and really deliver. I refrigerated overnight and used Lancaster caramels (vanilla). I only got a dozen but they were huge with a wonderful gooey caramel in the middle. earned a permanent spot in my cookie rotation. thanks for sharing this delicious recipe.
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I am now making these for the second time after my first successful and delicious attempt two weeks ago. I sent most of my first batch to work with my husband so his colleagues could enjoy and that raved about how soft they were and how well they came out saying that they tasted like ‘Mrs. Fields’!
After reading the helpful comments above, I found that leaving them in the fridge a bit longer than the recommended 2 hour minimum did seem to create the perfect consistency for the dough. I gave it about 3 hours and they weren’t sticky when placing them on the cookie sheets.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Annelise! Thanks so much for your comment!
Can these be frozen??
You can absolutely freeze the dough prior to baking!
Hi,
Do you have to use the cream cheese in the recipe? Could you use truffles instead of caramels to get that fudgy center effect?
That should work!
Good recipe, even without the caramel. I made a couple without the caramel embedded and they were good. I added another half cup of semi chocolates as I like a lot of chocolate chips.
My only problem was that the cookie dough was sticky. This is probably my second time making cookies and guessing they needed to be left in the fridge longer. I did about 2 hours and 10 minutes in the fridge, but must not have been long enough. Or maybe more flour was needed, not sure.
Baking them at 15 minutes was the perfect time for my oven as they were undercooked just enough and turned out perfectly letting them sit then.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dan!
Hi dear,
Is it possible to replace sugar with honey? If possible what about the amount?
I wouldn’t recommend that, as you need the sugar and butter to bind to form the basis of the dough.
My cookies came out more like a cake why, they seemed to flatten out a lot and not stay round like a cookie
Hi David – The spreading of the cookies could be attributed to a lot of factors. Did you use room temp ingredients?
Can u plzz tell the substitute for eggs as it would be great for me to try baking ur awesome cookies!!!
Hi there! I’ve never tried this recipe with an egg substitute so I’m not certain what other ingredients would work.
This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. They were so delicious. I will definitely be making this again.. ????????????????
Can I use Kraft caramel squares instead of werthers brand?
Yes, those should work great, Mirella!
What perfect looking cookies! They look and sound delicious, great job :)
aaaaaaand I need these in my life ASAP!