Description
Peanut Butter Chocolate Caramel Cookies combine the creamy richness of peanut butter, the gooey delight of caramel, and bursts of melty chocolate chunks into chewy, irresistibly flavorful cookies. Perfect for snacks, gifting, or festive occasions, this recipe offers a balanced sweet and salty taste with a soft chewy texture and simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips (milk or dark chocolate)
- 1/2 cup caramel bits or soft caramel chunks
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and brown sugar. Stir until smooth and creamy. Add the lightly beaten egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated to create a silky peanut butter base.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, stirring until just combined to form a tender yet sturdy dough.
- Fold in Chocolate and Caramel: Gently fold in the chocolate chunks and caramel bits, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough to guarantee pockets of gooey caramel and melted chocolate in every cookie.
- Scoop and Shape: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about two inches apart to allow for spreading while baking.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden yet the centers remain soft. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet to set the gooey centers.
Notes
- Chill your dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading and enhance flavor.
- Use high-quality creamy natural peanut butter for the best flavor balance.
- Remove cookies as soon as edges are golden to avoid overbaking; centers will set while cooling.
- Choose soft caramel bits over hard pieces for melty, gooey pockets inside the cookies.
- Scoop dough evenly to ensure uniform baking and consistent cookie size.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: peanut butter cookies, chocolate cookies, caramel cookies, chewy cookies, sweet and salty cookies
