These are among my favorite chocolate chip cookies, made with Trader Joe’s caramel sea salt baking chips for a reliably sweet, slightly salty caramel flavor without the sticky mess of making your own caramel. I like to balance the caramel chips with dark or semisweet chocolate (or chopped dark chocolate) so each bite has a hint of bitterness to offset the caramel. The result is a cookie with crisp edges and chewy centers—crispy and chewy is my ideal texture for chocolate chip cookies. Friends consistently love these salted caramel chip cookies, so I’m sharing the recipe here.
Note: This is not the recipe printed on the Trader Joe’s caramel chips bag; that version contains pecans. The recipe below is nut-free.
Ingredients for Trader Joe’s Caramel Chip Cookies
The recipe uses a straightforward cookie base that highlights the caramel chips. I add dark or semisweet chocolate to provide contrast to the sweetness of the caramel. Below are the ingredients with notes on why each one is included and common substitutions.
- All-purpose flour — provides structure; for a gluten-free option try a tested 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (I haven’t personally tested it here).
- Salt — a pinch enhances overall flavor and complements the salted caramel chips.
- Baking soda and baking powder — a combination gives a bit of lift and helps the cookies brown and develop crisp edges while staying chewy inside.
- Butter — salted butter works well for added flavor; use unsalted if you prefer and adjust added salt accordingly.
- Granulated and brown sugar — the mix controls spread and keeps the interior moist; brown sugar contributes chewiness and caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla extract — any good vanilla works; a stronger vanilla extract adds more pronounced flavor without extra liquid.
- Egg — binds the dough and contributes to both structure and moisture.
- Caramel baking chips — these are the star ingredient; Trader Joe’s caramel sea salt baking chips are what I used, but other brands of caramel chips will work.
- Semisweet or dark chocolate chips — choose dark or semisweet to balance the caramel’s sweetness; milk chocolate may make the cookies overly sweet for some tastes.
How to Make Salted Caramel Chip Cookies
These cookies are simple to make and don’t require advanced techniques. A stand mixer makes things easy, but a hand mixer and a large bowl will work fine.
Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Creaming butter and sugars for a few minutes incorporates air, helping the cookies keep their shape and achieve a slightly tender interior. Beat the butter with both sugars on medium speed about three minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl once to ensure even mixing.
Next add the egg and vanilla. Beat another two minutes until the mixture is lighter and creamy, scraping the bowl to avoid pockets of unmixed ingredients.
Adding the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together, then add to the butter mixture and mix on low until mostly combined. A little streaking of flour is fine — it prevents overmixing and keeps the cookies tender.
Scrape the bowl, then fold in the caramel chips and chocolate chips by hand or on low speed until evenly distributed. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes improves texture and flavor: it firms the butter so cookies spread less and lets the flour hydrate for a more even bake. You can chill up to 2 days.
Scooping the Caramel Chip Cookies
After chilling (30 minutes to 2 days), scoop into medium dough balls — about 2″ (5 cm) — and place on lined baking sheets about 3″ (7 cm) apart. This recipe yields roughly 14 cookies.
Baking the Caramel Chip Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake on the center rack. The higher temperature helps the edges brown and crisp while keeping the centers chewy. Bake one tray at a time for most consistent results; if baking two trays at once, rotate them halfway through. Bake 10–12 minutes, or until edges are golden and centers look set. Let cookies cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.
Tips for Picture-Perfect Cookies
Two simple food-safe tricks to make the cookies look their best:
- Press a few extra caramel or chocolate chips onto the tops of the dough balls before baking so chips are visible on the surface.
- For perfectly round cookies, while still hot place a round cutter or wide glass around each cookie and swirl a couple of times to shape the edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trader Joe’s carries caramel sea salt baking chips seasonally, often during the holidays. Other brands also make caramel baking chips year-round.
Yes—substitute an equal amount of a reliable 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and proceed as directed.
Semisweet or dark chocolate pairs best with the caramel chips. Milk chocolate can be too sweet for some tastes.
Chilling is recommended. It improves texture and flavor and prevents excessive spreading, but the cookies will still taste fine if baked immediately.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you’re in a cookie mood, try other recipes that deliver the same crisp-edge, chewy-center texture: old-fashioned oatmeal chocolate chip cookies packed with oats, or a double chocolate chip cookie for a rich, cocoa-forward bite.
Cleanup
I rate cleanup on a 1–5 scale where 1 is minimal and 5 is every dish in the kitchen. This recipe is around a 4 if you chop a chocolate bar (knife and board to wash) or a 3 if you use chocolate chips only. Most of the work happens in one bowl; warm or hot water helps remove dough from the mixing bowl quickly.
Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Thanks for stopping by! If you make these cookies and love them, please leave a review in the comments to help others know how they turned out.
Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 8 Tbsp (113 g) butter, at room temperature (½ cup / 1 stick)
- ½ cup (105 g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup (95 g) caramel baking chips
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Making the dough
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter with both sugars in a stand mixer bowl (or large bowl with a hand mixer) for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes, scraping the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low until incorporated; the dough will be thick.
- Fold in the caramel and chocolate chips. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into 2″ (5 cm) balls and space 3″ (7 cm) apart on the sheet. Press a few extra chips onto the tops if desired.
- Bake on the center rack 10–12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and centers appear set. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Optional: reshape cookies while still warm using a round cutter or glass for perfectly circular cookies.
Notes
- If you don’t have a cookie scoop, roll dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 7 days or freeze up to 6 months.
Yield & Times
Yield: about 14 cookies. Prep time: 20 minutes. Chill time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: ~1 hour 2 minutes.
I’d love to see your results—take a photo and tag the original recipe author on social media if you’d like to share your cookies.