Go Back

Salty Chocolate Caramel Butter Cookies

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 20 tablespoons 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 14-oz bag soft caramel candies
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • flaky or coarse sea salt, to garnish

Equipment

  • 3 Parchment Paper
  • 2 cookie sheets
  • 2 Cookie Racks
  • 1 medium pan
  • 1 Kitchenaid

Method
 

  1. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat.
  2. Allow to melt, then add the cocoa powder and espresso powder.
  3. Stir to combine – the mixture should form a smooth paste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining 2 sticks of butter with the sugar, salt and the cooled cocoa mixture on medium speed until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
  5. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla until incorporated.
  6. With the mixer on low, add the flour in 3 additions, beating just until the dough comes together.
  7. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide into 3 equal pieces.
  8. Shape each piece into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour
  9. Preheat oven to 375 F with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
  10. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
  11. Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough to a thickness of about 3/16-inch (or 3/8th which is what most measured rolling pins have).
  12. Use a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut rounds from the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between the cookies. Re-roll the scraps once and cut as many cookies as you can (if the dough gets too soft, just pop it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes before you proceed). Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes (rotating the baking sheets halfway through), or until the center are just barely set – they should offer just a tiny bit of resistance when pressed.
  13. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and cool the cookies for about 5 minutes then remove them to the racks to cool completely.
  14. Repeat with the remaining disks of dough.
  15. To make the caramel topping: Add the caramels and the heavy cream to a medium saucepan.
  16. Set over medium-low heat and, stirring constantly, melt until the caramel is smooth.
  17. Working quickly, top each cookie with about 1 heaping teaspoon of the caramel and then sprinkle with the sea salt.
  18. Store in an airtight container between layers of wax paper or parchment (even when it’s set up completely, the caramel glaze will stick to the underside of cookies stacked on top of it).