Warm Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies Recipe
These Warm Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies combine soft, buttery cookie dough with gooey caramel centers and a delightful cinnamon-sugar coating. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and enhanced with optional espresso powder or nuts, these cookies offer a comforting treat with a sweet caramel surprise inside.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Caramel Filling
- 12–14 soft caramel candies (unwrapped) or ½ cup caramel baking bits
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon white sugar for sprinkling
Optional Additions
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt for salted caramel flavor
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder to enhance the brown sugar notes
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts for texture
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and pure vanilla extract until fully combined, ensuring a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt evenly.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Shape Cookies with Caramel: Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and flatten them slightly. Place a soft caramel candy or a few caramel baking bits in the center of each dough ball, then fold the dough around the caramel to encase it fully.
- Coat Cookies: In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll each caramel-filled cookie in this cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat the outside before placing them spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add Sugar Topping: Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the remaining 1 tablespoon of white sugar for added texture and sweetness.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn lightly golden but the center remains soft.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For richer flavor, mix in the optional ½ teaspoon of espresso powder or add ¼ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts into the dough.
- Adding a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before baking will give a delicious salted caramel contrast.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- Ensure not to overbake to keep the centers soft and gooey.
Keywords: brown sugar, caramel, cinnamon, cookies
