Caramel Stuffed Brown Sugar Cookies are incredibly soft and chewy and infused with nutty brown butter and topped with sea salt!
Reviews are in, these stuffed cookies are repeatedly “the best cookies I’ve ever made!” They’re soft and chewy, deeply flavorful with a craveable dimension of nutty, buttery goodness all giving way to soft, caramel centers. Best of all, they’re easy to make in less than an hour with zero chilling time!
Stuffed Brown Sugar Cookies
This past Christmas, I made chocolate cookies stuffed with caramel, sprinkled with sea salt and dusted with powdered sugar – oh. my. yum. I have been craving salted caramel cookies ever since. The only down side to these cookies was the dough had to chill for a few hours and when you have plates and plates of goodies to get out the door – or you just have a mad craving for salted caramel cookies – waiting three hours can be torturous.
So I decided to stuff my favorite ever (no chilling required) Brown Sugar Cookies with caramel and I think Kiwi’s response does my own elation justice: click HERE
These caramel oozing Brown Sugar Cookies rank right up there with my S’mores Cookies (aka Patrick’s favorite cookie) and my Nutella Cookies AKA my other favorite cookie. They are soft, chewy, sweet and salty and get even more ridiculously delicious with each bite of soft caramel.
Why You’ll Love this Brown Sugar Cookies Recipe
- AWARD WINNING: A reader commented, “I made these for my school’s staff Christmas Cookie Contest. Won best overall cookie, and everyone were raving about them.”
- BROWN BUTTER: Deeply flavorful with a craveable dimension of nutty, buttery goodness.
- ZERO CHILLING REQUIRED: So you can eat them ASAP!
- EASY CARAMEL CENTERS: Add a caramel to cookie dough, top it with more cookie dough and roll into a ball – viola!
- SOFT AND CHEWY: This recipe includes one extra egg yolk for optimal richness.
- DECORATE FOR ANY OCCASION: Top with festive sprinkles– use your favorite colors or mix them up for different holidays
Caramel Filled Cookies Ingredients
- Caramels: Use soft caramel candies like Kraft. If you use a larger caramel, cut them in half.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter or omit the salt in the recipe. The butter plays a critical role in the flavor and structure, so please don’t make any substitutions.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the best texture.
- Granulated Sugar: This imparts that classic sugar cookie sweetness! Do not use an alternative sweetener because it will affect the texture of the cookies.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These leaving agents work together to create tender, soft, and chewy cookies. Make sure they’re fresh so they work!
- Eggs: Use one whole egg and one egg yolk. The egg gives the cookies structure and the egg yolk makes them extra soft and chewy because it adds richness without any additional moisture. Bring the eggs to room temperature before adding to the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Use the best quality for the best flavor.
- Brown sugar: Use light, medium or dark depending on desired flavor of molasses.
- Salt: Table salt is added to the cookie batter and I highly recommend topping the baked cookies with sea salt – think salted caramel!
How to Make Stuffed Cookies
These insanely soft Brown Sugar Cookies stuffed with caramel start with nutty brown butter – you know, just to make them even more delicious and because melted butter = a chewier cookie…
You then proceed to whip up your cookie dough as usual, but the use of brown sugar adds an additional depth of chewiness, richness and oomph of brown sugar flavor – perfect for cocooning soft, melty caramel.
To make the caramel surprise inside, you simply sandwich a soft caramel in-between 2 tablespoons of cookie dough, pinching the edges and squeezing into a ball.
You then sprinkle the dough with sea salt and bake for approximately 12 minutes. The Brown Sugar cookies will seem soft but let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet to slightly firm up and you will have the softest, chewiest cookies ever…
With brown butter, caramel and sea salt.
- Make brown butter: Melt the butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Continue to cook and stir constantly until butter is dark golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter (chopped) and stir until completely melted; set aside to cool.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl.
- Add eggs and sugar: Add brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter and whisk until combined. Add egg and yolk and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Combine: Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Add caramel: Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and place a caramel on top.
- Sandwich caramel: Add another tablespoon of dough on top of caramel, pinch edges of dough around caramel and roll into a ball.
- Add sea salt: Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 3 inches apart and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake: Bake at 350 degrees F 11-13 minutes until barely golden.
- Cool: Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
And you too will be pawing for the very last salted caramel cookie…
Caramel Stuffed Brown Butter Sugar Cookies with no chill time. Because when you get a craving for caramel stuffed cookies – you need them now.
Stuffed Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe FAQs
Melted butter in cookie recipes contributes to a different texture and flavor compared to using softened or creamed butter. Cookies made with melted butter tend to have a chewier and denser texture, with a more concentrated buttery flavor, as opposed to lighter and more cake-like. The melted butter also can create a crisper edge.
Looking for more Cookie Recipes?
- Triple Chocolate Turtle Cookies
- Oatmeal Creme Pies
- S’more Cookies
- Nutella Cookies
- Oreo Stuffed Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Pumpkin Cookies
- Apple Cookies
WANT TO TRY THESE CARAMEL STUFFED BROWN SUGAR COOKIES?
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Caramel Filled Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe
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Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons AP flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar, medium or dark
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 20-24 soft caramel candies (I use Kraft)
- sea salt
Instructions
- Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Continue to cook and stir constantly until butter is dark golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter (chopped) and stir until completely melted; set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or non-stick mats. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.
- Add brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter and whisk until combined. Add egg and yolk and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture and mix just until completely combined.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and place a caramel on top. Add another tablespoon of dough on top of caramel, pinch edges of dough around caramel and roll into a ball. Repeat until all remaining dough is gone.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 3 inches apart and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees F 10-12 minutes until barely golden (they will seem underbaked). Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 7 days. I like to microwave cooled cookies for 10 seconds or so for softer caramel.
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Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Magazine: Best Desserts Ever, Brown Sugar Cookies, page 88
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Oh my heavens! This is decadent and oh so good! I made chocolate chip cookies filled with nutella. Are those ever good too. But I have got to try this recipe for my grandsons — YUM!! I don’t know whether I should thank you for the recipe — this is total temptation. Hope you had a nice Easter and that you are doing well. xxxooo
Jen says
LOL! I don’t know if you should thank me either after you want to eat them all – but your grandson will 🙂 Those nutella stuffed cookies sound divine as well – I haven’t tried that yet, but that sounds like my next indulgence – yum! I hope you had a wonderful Easter as well Marisa! xo
Marianne says
Just when I thought I didn’t need another cookie recipe……..you post this! They look delicious, as do all of your recipes. And Kiwi is adorable!! Your blog is one of my favorites…..thanks!
Jen says
You are so sweet Marianne, thank you so much for making my day! I hope you will find a new favorite cookie recipe in this these!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
I have a whole bag of caramels staring at me from my cupboard that need a home! I think I found it….
Jen says
Yes, they are just waiting to be baked into these soft cookies – soon, very soon!! Thanks so much Kathi!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Jen! OMG these look amazing! Kiwi looks determined to have a cookie, she’s adorable! I have never liked Kraft caramels, so I buy Werther’s soft caramels and I just happen to be going to the store this afternoon -destination candy aisle! 🙂
Jen says
Yay for destination candy aisle for Werther’s – yum! I hope you love these Dorothy- I think you will!
Jackie says
Hi Jen
I like to make my dough a day in advanced, Can I with this one.
Jen says
Hi Jackie, you definitely can! Just make sure the dough sits at room temperature for 30 or minutes or so before you make the cookies. Enjoy!
Melinda | Sprinkle and a Dash says
You can’t possibly go wrong with caramel. These cookies look amazing, I think I would love them even without the caramel.
Jen says
YES! they are definitely still amazing without the caramel – and with the caramel – they are just insane! Thank you so much Melinda, I am excited for you to try them!
Cindy says
Hi Jen,
You say medium or dark brown sugar. I haven’t seen medium only light and dark. Which do you prefer I have both in my pantry and love both. Thanks
Jen says
Hi Cindy, I prefer dark brown – mmmmm! I hope you love them!!
Joni says
Can chocolate chips be added to this recipe?
Jen says
absolutely! enjoy!
Sandra June says
I just made these to bring to a party tonight along with three other desserts–they are delicious.
I ended up with 22 cookies, some with and without sea salt. I tried one without and because they are so sweet and buttery, I understand why the addition of the sea salt.
Werther’s Chewy Caramels were used and these nearly 4″ diameter cookies are very decadent, especially for a sugar-type cookie. Must be from all the brown butter and sugar.
Next time, I think I will cut each caramel in half so I’ll finish with smaller cookies and more of them.
Overall a very yummy treat! Two paws up.
Jen says
Hi Sandra, so happy you thought these were delicious, thank you so much!
Sandra June says
The birthday boy for whom I made these kept tempting new party arrivals, telling them they HAD to try one. Out of the 4 desserts I brought to the event, this one was by far the obvious favorite.
Jen says
YAY for being the favorite! I am thrilled the birthday boy and everyone else loved these cookies! Thanks so much Sandra and happy birthday to the boy :)!
Melissa says
I was wondering does the caramel l stay soft after they cool? Or does it firm back up?
Jen says
Hi Melissa, it is the softest initially and becomes a little firmer (but not as firm as it was before baking) – still soft-ish. I recommend microwaving leftovers for ultimate soft caramel. Hope that helps!
Kelsea says
These are some of the best cookies I’ve ever made, and that’s saying a lot, because I never have much luck with online cookie recipes. They always either come out too “cakey” or way too flat and greasy. These were the perfect flour to sugar to butter ratio.
The first batch came out a little crispy, which is totally fine, as my husband likes them that way (and I really should have known better, since my oven runs on the hotter side.) The second and third batches I only left in for about 9 minutes each, and got my perfect chewy cookie, throughout.
Thank you for this keeper! ❤️
Jen says
You are so welcome Kelsea! I am thrilled you loved these so much and were able to perfect the baking time with your second and third batches – yum! Thanks for commenting! I hope you find more recipes to love here!
Camille says
I’m a cookie newbie. Have actually never baked any from scratch before. Once you stuff the cookie dough and roll into a ball, do you have to flatten? Or bake the ball shape? Sorry for the silly question!
Jen says
Hi Camille, no silly questions! Some cookies you will flatten but only if the recipe says to – these cookies you DON’t flatten as you want the thick dough surrounding the caramel. Hope this helps and I am so excited for you to cook more!
Tami says
Can you freeze these after their cooked to make ahead
Jen says
Hi Tami, they won’t be as soft if you freeze them after they are cooked so I would suggest freezing the stuffed cookie dough balls in a ziploc baggie instead then removing from the freezer and baking without thawing and increasing the baking time by one minute. Hope that helps!
Elodie Destailleur says
Hello from France ! I just wanted to tell you i often read your website, and keep some good ideas. And today, i tried this recipe of caramel cookies ! They don’t look like the same (come and see!) but they are very good !
Jen says
wow, hello all the way from France, welcome! I am so flattered you read my blog, thank you so much! I just visited your site, and your cookies look wonderful! I didn’t know cookies weren’t common in France? I am so glad you liked these!
Manal says
What is it AP flour
Jen says
It is all purpose flour – regular flour. enjoy!
Krista says
I can’t wait to try these! Going to a couple of cookie swaps soon and I wanted a great recipe! When you say one egg and then one yolk…does that mean 1 whole egg with yolk and then another yolk separated?
Jen says
Hi Krista, these will be perfect for a cookie swap! Yes, it is one whole egg plus one separated egg yolk. enjoy, Happy Holidays!
Whit says
Hi! I’m prepping for a party tomorrow. Could I put the dough in the fridge overnight? And put the caramels in and bake tomorrow? Or would that drastically change the outcome? THANKS! (the dough is delicious)
Jen says
Hi Whit, I am so sorry for my delayed response as I have been super behind with the holidays! No doubt my comment comes to late but I would have said that was fine and to bring the dough to room temp in the morning. Hope these were a hit!
Danielle says
they are delicious, but why did my caramel sink to the bottom and fall out? 🙁
Jen says
Hi Danielle, sorry, that has never happened to me before so I’m sure what to tell you other than you can try using more dough on the bottom vs. the top next time. You could also try a smaller piece of caramel and make sure the cookie is cooled before handling.
Micah Cargill says
Hi Jen,
I’m doing an assignment for my hospitality course where i design an a la carte menu for a cafe.
I was wondering if these cookies would work with gluten free flour and if you could recommend any good gluten free baked goods type recipes?
Thanks 🙂
Jen says
Hi Micah, I’m not an expert using gluten free flour and have not tried these with gluten free flour – sorry! If you try them, I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour. Here are some good gluten free food blogs you can find some great baked good recipes on: https://www.cottercrunch.com/ https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/category/gluten-free/ https://www.whattheforkfoodblog.com/category/desserts/ Good luck!
margaret says
I made these cookies over last weekend. Holy %$^# they are GOOD. I’m a caramel freak so this was right up my alley. Love the browned butter flavor of the cookies as well. I used both dark & light brown sugar (less light than dark) because that’s what I had on hand. Spectacular. They are gone and I’m craving them again already.
Used the Bequet Sea Salt Caramels from Montana, cut them in half since they are big rectangles rather than squares.
Jen says
LOL! Thanks Margaret, I’m so happy these Caramel Stuffed Cookies are such a favorite!
MEG says
I’ve never commented on a recipe before, but these are AMAZING!
My husband loved them so much he took a bunch to share with his friends, who also loved them!
I think these are the best cookies I have ever made, and will absolutely be what I bring to any event I’m the future.
Jen says
Thanks for taking the time to comment Meg, I’m thrilled these caramel stuffed cookies were such a hit and even the “best cookies” you’ve ever made – the ultimate compliment, thank you!
Nicole says
Hello,
I would like to make these, but can you tell me what ap flour is?
Thanks.
Jen says
It is regular all-purpose flour. Enjoy!
Miriam says
Hi! 5th time I’ve made these and they seem to get more delicious each time. Anyways, I was wondering if I could store leftover dough in the refrigerator and bake the following day or two after ? Thank you!
Jen says
I LOVE hearing you have made these caramel brown sugar cookies so many times, thanks Miriam! Yes, you can absolutely refrigerate leftover dough.
ALEXANDER EMERT says
I made these for my school’s staff Christmas Cookie Contest. Won best overall cookie, and everyone were raving about them.
Jen says
Yesssssss, that is awesome! Thanks for sharing Alexander! Congratulations!
Daniela says
OMG!!! I’m a cookie monster, but I don’t like sugar cookies that much. Buuuut NO WAY… THEEESE are the best cookies I’ve ever tried in my life. I didn’t add the whole amount of sugar (1/4 cup less) cause I don’t like them so sweet. But they are perfect.
Jen says
Thank you so much for your awesome comment Daniela, that is high praise coming from a cookie monster! I’m honored these were the best cookies you’ve ever tried!
Vidara says
Is it possible to use liquid salted caramel in place of the candies?
Jen says
Hi Vidara, unfortunately liquid caramel won’t work for this recipe.
Chameleon says
Do the baked cookies freeze well?
Jen says
Hi Chameleon, yes these cookies freeze well but I would use Werther’s brand soft caramels because they will stay softer. Enjoy!
Dani says
Will they taste bad if I freeze the caramel stuffed doughballs overnight? I need to prep the dough a day before baking because of time constraints!
Jen says
Nope, that will work great!
KELLY WRIGHT says
Can I use Kraft Caramel Bits? If so, how many bits per cookie you think? They are little balls and are much smaller than a caramel.
Jen says
Hi Kelly, I haven’t personally used them so I found a review that said they didn’t work well in cookie bars, so I would experiment at your own risk. Good luck!
nata says
Could I add chocolate chips to the cookie batter along with the caramel?
Jen says
Yes!
Sarah says
Hi there,
Since there’s no chilling, do these cookies expand a lot? Are they pretty flat? They sound delicious: I can’t wait to make them with some homemade caramels I made recently. Thanks for the idea!
Jen says
Hi Sarah, if your butter is room temperature, they shouldn’t expand a lot. Enjoy!
McLeod says
I made these cookies tonight using dark brown sugar. I have been baking since I was 11 or 12 and these are quite possibly the best cookies I have ever baked, period. Everyone needs these cookies in their lives. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Jen says
Wow, that is the ultimate compliment, thank you so much!!! Can I ask which caramels you used?
HHB says
Here to report that the cookie portion of this is AMAZING and that Brach’s caramels become unpleasantly hard and chewy once baked, even when cookies are warm. Looking forward to trying again with another type of caramel!
Jen says
I am so glad that the cookie part was so good, and best of luck trying with another caramel!
Lisa Careau says
I used Goetze’s caramel creams, which I froze before adding to the dough. The candy retains its shape and soft white center after the baking. Just before serving, I put them in the microwave for 12 seconds, making them perfectly gooey.
Jen says
Hi Lisa, thanks for the tips! I am so glad this recipe works for you!
Rose says
I know I’m probably in the minority, but I prefer a crunchier cookie vs. soft and chewy. Do you think if I left out the egg yolk, it would make for a crunchier cookie? They look delish. Thank you!
Jen says
Crunchy cookies are amazing too!! You could experiment with leaving out the yolk or flatten your cookies out before baking them! Hope you enjoy!
Victoria says
I cannot tell you the amount of compliments I get on this cookie. At this point, I ONLY make this cookie, because of how good it is. Fairly easy, but it makes me feels like a professional. Absolutely love.
One change I sometimes make is switching the caramel for a Rolo. I had some leftover candy last Halloween and tried a few different centers for this recipe and that’s been a winner!
Jen says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that this cookie has been such a staple! Rolos are a great idea!