The Perfect Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies Recipe for Sweet Tooths

Salted caramel crunch cookies represent pure indulgence in every delectable morsel.

Sweet and salty sensations dance across your taste buds with remarkable intensity.

Rich caramel undertones meld seamlessly with crisp textural elements that surprise and delight.

Unexpected flavor combinations revolutionize ordinary baking into an extraordinary culinary experience.

Carefully balanced ingredients create a harmonious symphony of taste that feels simultaneously comforting and adventurous.

Small batch preparation ensures maximum freshness and allows for delightful personal touches.

Baking these treats connects passionate home cooks with moments of genuine joy.

Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

• Savor Luxurious Layers: These salted caramel crunch cookies deliver an incredible multi-dimensional taste experience with sweet caramel, crunchy pecans, and buttery cookie base that dance together deliciously.
• Master Quick Gourmet Baking: By using simple ingredients and straightforward steps, home bakers can effortlessly create professional-looking cookies that taste like they're from a high-end bakery, making complex desserts accessible to everyone.
• Customize Your Comfort Treat: The recipe offers flexible chilling options, allowing bakers to adjust texture between chewy and crisp, while optional sea salt topping provides personalized finishing touches that elevate the entire dessert.
• Indulge Smartly: With balanced nutritional profile featuring moderate calories and controlled sugar content, these cookies offer a guilt-free indulgence that satisfies sweet cravings without overwhelming dietary considerations.

Essential Ingredients for Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

• All-Purpose Flour: Basic structure and foundation for the cookies texture and shape.
• Cornstarch: Helps create a softer, more tender cookie with a delicate crumb.

• Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with caramelization and moisture.
• Cinnamon: Adds warm, subtle spice to complement the caramel flavor.
• Salt, Baking Soda: Essential for balanced flavor and proper cookie rise.

• Unsalted Butter: Creates rich, tender base with deep flavor and helps bind ingredients.
• Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and help bind the cookie dough together.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and enhances overall flavor profile.

• Toffee Bits: Adds crunch and extra caramel-like sweetness to the cookies.
• Caramel Squares: Provides gooey, intense caramel pockets within the cookie.
• Pecans: Introduces nutty flavor and additional texture contrast.
• Flaky Sea Salt: Creates a delightful sweet-salty balance and enhances caramel notes.

How to Make Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets

Warm up the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. If you want to chill the dough, you can do this step later.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• Flour
• Brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Baking soda
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Cinnamon

Ensure all ingredients are evenly combined.

Step 3: Add Melted Butter

Pour melted butter into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula or handheld mixer to blend until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Step 4: Incorporate Wet Ingredients

Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Beat thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well-blended.

Step 5: Fold in Flavor Enhancers

• Toffee bits
• Caramel squares
• Chopped pecans

Optional: Set aside some toppings for decorating the cookies before baking.

Step 6: Chill the Dough (Optional)

For chewier, thicker cookies, refrigerate the dough. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. This helps improve the cookie’s texture and moisture.

Step 7: Shape the Cookies

Roll 2 heaping tablespoons of dough into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press reserved toppings onto the cookie tops if desired.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Bake for 12 minutes. Look for golden edges while keeping the centers slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.

Step 9: Add Finishing Touch

Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top immediately after removing from the oven. This adds a delightful flavor contrast.

Step 10: Cool and Enjoy

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your delicious salted caramel crunch cookies!

Tips for Perfect Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

• Chill for Superior Texture: Refrigerate dough for 2-24 hours to develop deeper flavor complexity and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
• Master the Mix-In Technique: Fold toffee bits, caramel squares, and pecans gently to distribute evenly without overworking the dough.
• Perfect Salt Sprinkle: Immediately after baking, sprinkle flaky sea salt while cookies are still warm to ensure maximum flavor absorption and adherence.
• Achieve Ideal Baking Consistency: Watch for golden edges and slightly soft centers, which indicate perfectly baked cookies that will firm up while cooling.
• Storage Wisdom: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, separating layers with parchment paper to maintain crunchiness and prevent sticking.

Storing and Reheating Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

• Refrigerate cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Layer between parchment paper to prevent sticking and maintain their delicate texture. Separate caramel and toffee bits will help keep the cookies crisp.
• Freeze extra cookies by wrapping individually in plastic wrap, then placing inside a freezer-safe container. Frozen cookies can last up to 3 months without losing their delicious crunch. Thaw at room temperature for best results.
• Reheat cookies briefly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to restore their warm, soft center. Avoid overheating, which can make them tough or dry. Enjoy these salted caramel crunch cookies as if they were freshly baked.

Pairing Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies with Tea

• Pair with Smooth Caramel Macchiato: The rich, creamy coffee drink complements the salted caramel notes perfectly, enhancing the cookie's sweet and salty profile with its velvety espresso undertones.
• Match with Toasted Pecan Bourbon: A warm bourbon highlighting the cookie's nutty pecans creates a delightful flavor harmony, bringing out the caramel's depth and adding a sophisticated adult twist.
• Serve alongside Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: The cold, creamy vanilla provides a luxurious contrast to the warm, crunchy cookie, melting slightly to create an indulgent dessert experience that balances the sea salt's tang.
• Enjoy with Spiced Chai Latte: The warming spices in chai beautifully complement the cinnamon notes in the cookie, creating a cozy, comforting pairing that elevates the overall taste sensation.

Variations of Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

• Nutty Caramel Crunch: Replace pecans with almonds or walnuts for a different nutty profile, enhancing the cookie's texture and adding a rich, toasted flavor.
• Chocolate Caramel Swirl: Mix in dark chocolate chips or drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies after baking, creating a decadent chocolate-caramel combination.
• Coconut Caramel Crisp: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes into the dough and on top of the cookies, bringing a tropical, crunchy element to the classic recipe.
• Spiced Caramel Sensation: Increase the cinnamon or add ground ginger and nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a warm, spicy undertone that complements the caramel sweetness.

Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies Recipe

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4.6 from 13 reviews

• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Description

Salted caramel crunch cookies blend sweet indulgence with irresistible texture. Rich buttery dough meets crunchy caramel pieces, creating a heavenly treat that melts in your mouth with perfect balance between salty and sweet.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 2.75 cups (652 ml) all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 0.75 cup (180 ml) light brown sugar (Dixie Crystals recommended)
• 0.5 cup (120 ml) granulated sugar (Dixie Crystals Extra Fine recommended)

Binding and Flavoring Ingredients:

• 0.75 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon

Add-ins and Toppings:

• 1 cup (240 ml) toffee bits
• 1 cup (240 ml) caramel squares, cut into fourths (Werther’s chewy caramels recommended)
• 1 cup (240 ml) chopped pecans
• Flaky sea salt, optional

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Instructions

1. Prepare baking equipment by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. Create a dry ingredient blend by whisking together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon in a spacious mixing bowl until uniformly combined.
3. Introduce melted butter to the dry mixture, stirring with a spatula or handheld mixer until the texture becomes crumbly and ingredients are well integrated.
4. Enhance the dough’s consistency by thoroughly mixing in eggs and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the mixture achieves a smooth, uniform appearance.
5. Elevate the cookie’s flavor profile by gently folding in toffee bits, caramel squares, and chopped pecans, strategically reserving some toppings for final decoration.
6. Optimize cookie texture by chilling the prepared dough in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours, which allows ingredients to meld and intensifies moisture absorption.
7. Form cookie portions by rolling two heaping tablespoons of dough into uniform balls, positioning them approximately 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and pressing reserved toppings onto their surfaces.
8. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, aiming for golden-brown edges while maintaining soft, slightly underdone centers that will continue setting during cooling.
9. Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle flaky sea salt across the warm cookies to enhance their sweet-savory complexity.
10. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to stabilize their structure before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.

Notes

• Chill dough overnight to unlock deeper, richer flavor profiles that transform ordinary cookies into extraordinary culinary experiences.
• Freezing toffee bits and caramel squares before mixing prevents them from completely melting, creating delightful pockets of sweet, gooey surprise in every bite.
• Pressing reserved toppings onto cookie surfaces just before baking ensures maximum visual appeal and guarantees a stunning presentation that’ll impress family and friends.
• Sprinkling flaky sea salt right after baking creates a sophisticated sweet-salty contrast that elevates these cookies from simple treats to gourmet delights.
• Letting cookies rest on the baking sheet allows residual heat to continue gentle cooking, resulting in perfectly chewy textures with crisp, golden edges.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 24
• Calories: 180 kcal
• Sugar: 12 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 30 mg