These Chocolate Caramel Sandwich Cookies are rich chocolate cookies sandwiched around a salted caramel cream filling. They’re made entirely from scratch with a simple caramel frosting and dark chocolate drizzle, these are decadent, soul-soothing treats.
I texted Zach in a panic last week because our electric bill was literally double what it should have been.
Double! Since I’ve been blogging full time and am home so much more, I expected the bill to go up, but double!? Never mind that I’m mostly using our gas stove, I was horrified that I was costing us so much in electric.
I texted him immediately, before digging deeper into the charges, which was a mistake because he texted me back and said “Um, Samantha, it’s not double… you just didn’t pay it last month…”
What!? Of course I paid it, I pay all of the bills on a schedule religiously, I record everything in my checkbook app and balance it regularly, thankyouverymuch. He was just reading it wrong, I hoped (I was actually hoping for a larger electric bill at this point rather than accepting the fact that I might have missed a payment).
Nope. He was right.
Not only did I miss it (even though I had recorded the payment in my checkbook… I’m maintaining that there must have been a glitch when I submitted the payment) but if I’d just taken a second to look over the bill myself instead of texting him, I could’ve quietly, quickly paid it and spared myself weeks of teasing and faux-concerned offers to handle our bills from now on 🙄.
Shamed and with my self esteem in tatters, I needed a cookie to recoup from my utter financial failings. This is that cookie — chocolate caramel sandwich cookies that are decadent and dreamy enough to forget the worst of your electricity woes.
I’ve made similar cookies before (have you tried my Espresso & Cream Sandwich Cookies?), but none that paired these delicately rich crackly-topped cookies with caramel.
The caramel is what makes these cookies so amazing, you’ll start by cooking a small batch of caramel sauce on the stovetop.
Making the caramel is my favorite part, it’s simple to make (no candy thermometer!) and is so buttery and good that I could eat it by the spoonful. Try to resist, though, because you need every bit of it for our frosting. Once the caramel cools completely, you’ll add some powdered sugar to thicken it, which you’ll spread or pipe between your finished cookies.
(If you want extra caramel for eating by the spoonful, grab my recipe here for easy homemade salted caramel sauce.)
Dark chocolate, salted caramel, and a drizzle of melted chocolate, these cookies are rich.
Of course, that didn’t stop my brother from eating three of them, or Zach from stuffing an entire one in his mouth (not that he deserved one, after discovering my financial deficiencies, and all).
The chocolate drizzle on top is of course optional, but you know how I am about my chocolate…
Enjoy!
Oh, and I hope you’ll join me for my Facebook Live today at 12:00 EST — I’ll be making one of my most popular recipes, my Snickerdoodle Blondies!
Chocolate Caramel Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
- 8 Tablespoons (113 g) butter
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1 ¼ cup (150 g) powdered sugar
Chocolate Cookies
- 2 cups (340 g) dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup (113 g) 1 stick butter cut into 8 pieces
- ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp (225 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 g) dark chocolate melting wafers optional
Instructions
Caramel Frosting
- Start your caramel frosting first so that the caramel has time to cool completely.Combine brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 8 Tablespoons (113 g) butter, ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- Stir until butter is melted and all ingredients are combined.
- With heat on medium-high bring liquid to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Continue to boil (while still stirring continuously) for two minutes, remove from heat, stirring occasionally so that the mixture does not burn.
- Allow caramel to cool for 5 minutes and then stir in vanilla and flaky sea salt.½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Allow to cool completely before proceeding -- I recommend starting your cookies and then coming back to the caramel to be sure that it cools entirely.
- Once mixture is cooled, gradually stir in powdered sugar until combined. If mixture is still too runny, you may add more powdered sugar (though it will stiffen as it sets). Set aside until cookies are ready to be filled.1 ¼ cup (150 g) powdered sugar
Chocolate Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine dark chocolate chips and butter pieces in a large microwave-safe bowl.2 cups (340 g) dark chocolate chips, ½ cup (113 g) 1 stick butter
- Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well, microwave for another 15 seconds and then stir well again. Repeat at 15 second intervals until chocolate and butter are completely melted and well-combined.
- Stir in vanilla extract.½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Set aside and allow to cool (about 10-15 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs, egg white, and sugar and stir until combined.1 cup + 2 Tbsp (225 g) granulated sugar, 3 large eggs + 1 egg white
- Gradually turn stand mixer up to high speed and whisk for three minutes (mixture will be pale yellow in color and should be slightly thick.
- Add chocolate to the mixture and use a spatula to stir together until evenly combined.
- Stir in flour mixture (do not overmix). Mixture will be glossy.
- Cover cookie dough batter with cling wrap and allow it to sit for 20 minutes -- the batter will thicken as it sits.
- Once 20 minutes has passed, drop cookie dough by 1 ½ rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet, spacing at least 2" apart.
- Bake on 350F (177C) for 10-12 minutes (tops should be set).
- Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from cookie sheets and filling -- Cookies are rather delicate so handle with care.
- To fill, either spread or pipe (I used a Wilton 2D tip) the frosting onto the bottom of one cookie, top with the bottom of another to make a sandwich. The frosting recipe is very rich and intentionally does not make a lot, so use it sparingly in your cookies - I like to do a ring of frosting around the edge of each cookie and then just a dab in the center and that is plenty for me!
- If desired, prepare dark chocolate melting wafers according to instructions on package and use a spoon to drizzle over your cookie sandwiches. Allow chocolate to harden before enjoying.½ cup (85 g) dark chocolate melting wafers
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
PIN IT:
Wendy
This might be my favorite!
Wendy
Can I substitute fine sea salt for the flaky sea salt?
Sam
Yes but use less of it since it is so fine.
Wendy
In the middle of making these and notice it doesn’t say to add the 1/2t vanilla to cookie batter.
Sam
Hi Wendy! I’m sorry I missed this and didn’t put it in the recipe. I have since updated the recipe. You will want to stir it into the melted butter. I hope you loved the cookies! 🙂
Erica
I made these cookies today for the first time, and holy crap, what a winner! I was running short on time trying to hustle these together before we had to get out the door, so I cut a couple of corners (the caramel was still a little warm when I stirred in the powdered sugar, I only cooled the chocolate for like 8-9 minutes before mixing with the eggs, and I only let the cookie dough rest for like 10 minutes covered with a towel, not 20), but they still turned out FABULOUS. I straight up slopped the dough hastily onto my cookie sheet by scraping it off a teaspoon, and it still somehow spread into perfectly round cookies, which felt like some sort of wizardry tbh—I’m not exaggerating when I say it looked like I just threw it on there before they went into the oven LOL. Once we got to my mother-in-law’s house, I very carefully ran a small offset spatula under the cookies to remove them from the parchment paper. They were, as you said, pretty delicate, and they were stuck to the paper enough that had I not done that, I’m sure they would’ve broken when I tried to pry them off. I went easy on the filling, just a thin 1/4 inch layer, and the balance was perfect: the dark chocolate of the cookie balances out the salted caramel so well, and the cookie has an almost brownie-like texture, tender and just slightly chewy. DELICIOUS! I only had time to make half the cookie dough and stowed the other half in the fridge, so I’ll let you know how that batch turns out when I thaw and bake them later!
Sam
I’m so glad they turned out so well even though you were pressed for time! 🙂
Bets du Plessis
Hallo Samantha, I’ve always liked your recipes and commented in a positive trend. My last comment though apparently did not appeal to you even though it was VERY positive. Everything I have tried so far was very good and enjoyed by my family. But I have to agree with Teresa concerning the Chocolate Caramel Cookies. Even tough I followed the recipe very precisely, mine also turned out HUGE and flat, more like a Brandy snap or Lace cookie and so sweet. Not my favourite, but then taste do differ. I always enjoy to watch the video clips – could you perhaps add one? That would help greatly I am sure. I never did well with yeast baking – now my star bread, cinnamon buns and plaited bread are winners tx to you recipes.
Sam
I don’t seem to be able to see another comment anywhere. I don’t see it in my spam either. I’m sorry these didn’t turn out. 🙁 I am working on getting a video made for all of my recipes though so hopefully I will get it done soon. 🙂
Alan
These were delicious, Sam. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Alan! 🙂
Liz
These look amazing! Are these soft all over or do they have a crunchy texture on the outside of the cookie?
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Liz! These have a crispy texture on the outside and soft chewy center. I hope that you love them! 🙂
Teresa
Thanks, Sam! I’ll try the peanut butter one some time in the future. In the meantime, I added some cream cheese to the filling and it worked great! It really calmed down the sweetness and didn’t make it runny. Also, I put the cookies in the frig. and they seemed better after they got cold. I don’t know how you did it, but your cookies were so perfectly round — mine didn’t end up that way. It’s all good, though. Thanks again for your help. Have a nice evening! :o)
Teresa
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that it worked out well, Teresa! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Teresa
I’m a pretty good baker. I followed the ingredient amounts and directions to the last detail. Everything went along fine (and as expected in terms of process and consistencies, etc.). My oven is in tip-top condition and the temps are accurate. The first batch of cookies (based on the 1-1/2 Tbsp. measurement of dough) were HUGE. I cooked them past the 12 min. max. (to 15 min.). I let them cool completely first, as instructed, before moving them, and as I moved them to the cooling rack, they just fell apart, rendering them unusable. I made them much smaller on the next tray (and, they still ended up too big for a sandwich cookie). I had to cook them for 19 min. to get them solid enough so they wouldn’t fall apart. I understand that ovens vary, but a margin of 7 min. past the max cooking time is a pretty wide swing. I’d never made caramel before, so that was an interesting experience, and it went well. But, the cream filling is way, way too sweet for my taste. To me, it’s so overpowering that the flavor of the cookie gets lost in the process. So, I would say 2 things: 1.) Be sure to cook them long enough to firm them up. 2.) If you like super-sweet filling, this is the cookie for you. If not, you might want to look for a different filling recipe. Overall, once the cookie reaches the correct cooked consistency, it’s a nice cookie — but I wouldn’t call the flavor great. Sorry. Wish I could give it a better review.
Sam
I am disappointed to hear it wasn’t a success for you, Teresa. Thank you for the feedback.
Teresa
Hi Sam,
It’s okay. Maybe I did something (or some things) wrong. I was wondering; though, if you had a recipe for a less sweet filling. Do you think cutting it with some cream cheese might calm the sweetness a little? Or, would you have some other suggestion? I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks!
Teresa
Sam
Hmm, cream cheese might make it a bit too runny but I do like the thought of it, I’m just hesitant to recommend it as I haven’t tried it myself. Caramel is inherently pretty sweet since it’s primarily sugar, what about another filling like this peanut butter frosting?
Joanne
These cookies look fantastic!! How long can they be stored in a container, and can they be baked ahead of time and put in the freezer?
Sam
Sorry for not seeing this sooner, Joanne! I think these cookies would last about a week stored in an airtight container, as for freezing… these are very different in texture from a lot of my cookies so I’m simply and unfortunately not positive but I do think they would be alright wrapped well in clear wrap and stored. I’ll have to try it out on my own to be certain.
Erin
So it would be ok to make the butter cream a few days in advance before making the cookies?
Sam
Hi Erin! You can leave it at room temperature in an air tight container. You may just need to stir it a little bit before using. 🙂
Mikaru86
Damn, those look amazing. They have immediately jumped to the top of my to-do list for this week. How am I ever going to work through my backlog when you keep posting so many amazing new recipes? XD
Amar
Wow these look like something I’ll have to make soon. Any recommendation on how to store these and for how long?
Shawnna Griffin
hey girl- these cookies look so yummy! And about your electric bill -that sounds like what I would do! Crazy times huh?