Next-Level Chocolate Brownie Cookies
These salted caramel brownie cookies taste like a brownie and a bakery-style caramel treat all in one. They’re rich, glossy, and crackly on top with soft, fudgy centers, just like a corner piece of brownie.
Each cookie is finished with a pool of silky homemade caramel and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Whether you’re making holiday cookies, gifting, or just craving a next-level chocolate cookie, this recipe delivers every time.
Love a caramel cookie? Be sure to try Caramel Cheesecake Cookies, Rolo Cookies with Gooey Caramel Centers, or Brown Butter Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies next.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Dark chocolate (60–70%): Gives these cookies their deep, brownie flavor and shiny top.
- Butter: Melted with the chocolate for that classic fudgy texture.
- Granulated sugar: Whipping it with the eggs creates lift, gloss, and crackles.
- Egg + extra yolk: The key to rich, chewy centers.
- All-purpose flour: Just enough to set the cookie without making it cakey.
- Dutch-process cocoa: Deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Soft caramels + heavy cream: Melt into a smooth, thick caramel for filling.
- Flaky sea salt: Finishes the cookie and balances sweetness.
How to Make Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
- Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
- Beat the sugars and eggs together until pale, very fluffy and tripled in volume, about 6 full minutes. It should create thick ‘ribbon-like’ trails before disappearing into the batter.
- Combine batters. Fold or mix the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined.
- Stir in dry ingredients and gently fold until you get a smooth glossy batter, similar to brownie batter. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Use a medium (2 Tbsp) cookie scoop to scoop out all of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake 8-10 min at 350°F.
- Shape, indent, and cool. Use a round cookie cutter or rim of a glass to nudge the cookies into a perfect circle. Use the back of a small spoon to press an indent into the center of each cookie. Cool slightly.
- Melt the caramel in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. Cool for 5 min to firm up so it’s pourable but holds its shape.
- Spoon the caramel into the indent of each cookie. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let the caramel set, about 20 minutes.
Top Recipe Tips from Testing
I tested these 8 different times to get the fudgy centers and crackly tops! Here are all the tips I wrote down while testing:
Don’t skip whipping the sugar and eggs: This aeration gives you the glossy crackly tops you get in classic brownies.
Weigh your ingredients: It’s the most accurate to make sure they turn out every time.
Scoop and bake immediately: These brownie cookies benefit from being baked right away. Fit them all on two cookie sheets and bake at once if you can. If not quickly one at a time!
Rounded edges: To get that perfectly rounded shape on the cookies, use a round cookie cutter or rim of a glass to nudge them into a perfect circle while they’re still warm. I use this tip for chai oatmeal cream pies and peppermint chocolate chip cookies too (or really any drop cookie recipe).
Recipe Variations
- If you aren’t a caramel fan, you could try spooning chocolate ganache, nutella, or even natural peanut butter onto the center of the cookie.
- Course sea salt will also work on top, but the flaky salt just looks better.
- Dutch-process cocoa will deepen the chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa powder works as well.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Once the cookies are completely cooled and the caramel is set, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to keep the cookies from sticking to each other.
Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Layer a sheet of parchment paper between each layer of cookies.
More Caramel Desserts
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Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
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Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter cubed
- 6.5 oz dark chocolate bar (60–70 % cocoa), chopped
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 11 oz soft caramels (1 bag), ie Werther’s or Kraft, unwrapped
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together in 30 second increments until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and allow to cool slightly.6 Tablespoons salted butter, 6.5 oz dark chocolate bar, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the sugars and eggs together until pale and very fluffy, 3-4 full minutes. When you lift the whisk out of the mixture, it should fall back into the mixture in thick ‘ribbon-like’ trails before disappearing into the batter.3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk
- With the mixer running on low, pour in the chocolate mixture and beat on low until combined and no yellow streaks remain.1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Stir together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold until you get a smooth glossy batter, similar to brownie batter. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Use a medium (2 Tablespoon) cookie scoop to scoop out all of the dough out at once onto the prepared baking sheets. This makes about 16 cookies and they should fit comfortable on 2 baking sheets. You need to bake them all quickly for the best crackly glossy tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes (I did 8), until shiny and cracked on top but still soft in the center.
- Directly from the oven you can use a round cookie cutter or rim of a glass to nudge and shape the cookies into a perfect circle. Immediately use the back of a small spoon (like a Tablespoon) to press a shallow indent into the center of each warm cookies. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- While they’re cooling, combine the caramels and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments until the caramels are full melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly (5 minutes) to firm up so it’s pourable but thick enough to hold it’s shape.11 oz soft caramels, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Spoon the caramel into the indent of each cookie. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let the caramel set, about 20 minutes.Flaky sea salt
Recipe FAQs
You need to whip the eggs and sugar long enough (a full 6 minutes). This aeration is what creates the classic brownie-style finish.
Yes. Brownie cookies start as a thick batter. Letting it sit 5–10 minutes helps it thicken before scooping.
Not recommended. Jarred caramel is thinner and won’t hold its shape. Soft caramel candies melted with cream work best.
Slightly. If you want perfectly round cookies, use a round cutter to “scoot” the edges right after baking.
Yes! They’ll be fudgy brownie cookies. Or fill with chocolate ganache or Nutella for a variation.
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