Salted Caramel Cookies are soft, frosted, and dripping in caramel—every bite hits that perfect sweet-and-salty balance.
Author’s Note
The Best Cookies, Maybe Ever!
I’ve been obsessed with these graham cracker cookies for years, and while hosting a baby shower for my sister, I baked a bunch—plus a cake with cream cheese frosting.
I ended up topping a few cookies with the frosting, and it was maybe the most delicious combo I’ve ever tried. Then I made a quick caramel sauce to drizzle on top, and wow—these might be the best cookies I’ve ever had.
They were such a hit I didn’t have a single one left, and so many people asked for the recipe. So I’m taking that as a sign that everyone needs this recipe. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Ingredients
Cookies:
- Butter, White & Brown Sugars: Create a rich, sweet base.
- Egg & Yolk, Vanilla Extract: Bind ingredients and add flavor.
- Flour, Baking Soda, Cornstarch, Salt: Provide structure, softness, and a slight rise.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Add a unique texture and taste to the salted caramel cookies.
Frosting:
- Cream Cheese, Mascarpone, Butter: Form a creamy, rich base.
- Vanilla Extract, Salt, Powdered Sugar: Enhance flavor and sweetness.
- Butter, Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup, Condensed Milk: Create the caramel sauce.
- Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt: Add depth and balance to the caramel’s sweetness.
How To Make Salted Caramel Cookies
- Dough: Mix melted butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Combine with dry ingredients. Chill dough balls for 1-4 hours.
- Bake: At 325°F (162°C) for 10-14 minutes.
- Frost: Blend cream cheese, mascarpone, butter, and powdered sugar. Apply to cooled cookies.
- Caramel Sauce: Cook butter, sugars, and condensed milk. Add vanilla and salt. Drizzle over frosted cookies. Optional: Top with caramel pieces and salt flakes.
Quick Tip
For a decorative touch, top each cookie with a half of Werther’s Soft Caramel. These affordable, flavorful caramels blend well with the frosting.
Salted Caramel Cookies Tips
- Save Egg White: Reserve for other dishes like egg skillet or this egg wrap.
- Cool Melted Butter: Let it reach room temperature to prevent greasy cookies.
- Chill Dough Properly: Essential for the right texture; avoid over-chilling to prevent dryness.
- Measure Flour Carefully: Spoon and level for accurate measurement, ensuring the best cookie texture.
Storage
Storage Tips
- Store unfrosted salted caramel cookies at room temperature.
- Keep frosting and caramel sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
- Assemble with frosting and caramel just before serving.
- Warm caramel sauce slightly before drizzling if needed.
- Freeze uncooked dough balls in a freezer bag.
More Cookie Recipes:
Salted Caramel Cookies
These Salted Caramel Cookies are a bakery-style treat with a graham cracker base, topped with creamy frosting, and drizzled with salted caramel. Soft, sweet, and totally show-stopping!
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Sheet pan (15" x 10")
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Cookies
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 large egg yolk discard or save the whites for another recipe
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour measured correctly, see note 2
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs lightly packed, about 9 full sheets
Mascarpone Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese full-fat, softened
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese or 4 more ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 cup powdered sugar
Caramel
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 cup light corn syrup like Karo
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk regular, not fat-free
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt add to taste preference
- Soft caramels optional, for topping
- Flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
Cookies
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Set aside and let cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. (If butter is hot when it is added to the sugars, it will melt the sugars and cause greasy cookies.) Once butter has cooled, pour it into a large bowl. Add brown and granulated sugar. Stir well until completely incorporated and smooth.
- Add 1 full egg and 1 egg yolk. (Discard the white or save for another recipe). Add vanilla and stir until smooth.
- In another bowl, toss together flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Add whole graham crackers to a blender or food processor and crush until you have 1 cup of very fine crumbs (gently pack in the measuring cup). Add graham cracker crumbs to the dry ingredients. Stir everything to combine.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Using a tablespoon, measure 2 tablespoons dough per cookie (45g if you have a food scale). Roll dough balls large and tall (rather than round). Place on a parchment paper-lined plate, cover tightly, and chill for 1 hour, up to 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (162°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Space 6 cookies per sheet pan (they spread a lot). Bake 10–14 minutes or until slightly browned at the edges. Remove from oven and immediately use the back of a spoon to press the edges of each cookie into the center. Work quickly—the cookies firm up quickly. This gives each cookie a great crispy edge. Let stand on the tray for 4 more minutes, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and a hand mixer), beat the softened (not melted) cream cheese, softened mascarpone cheese, and softened butter until creamy for about 2 minutes at medium-high speed. Add salt and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar, gradually, beating between additions, until frosting is soft and creamy. Avoid overbeating or you’ll get whipped frosting. (If the frosting is too wet, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it is too dry, add a touch of milk or cream.)
- Generously frost completely cooled cookies with a table knife. Depending on how generously you frost the cookies (I love frosting, so use quite a bit!) you’ll have some leftover (see note 1).
Caramel Sauce
- Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter is melted and ingredients are completely combined.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from heat.
- Let the mixture cool for about 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add vanilla extract and salt to taste. Add salt gradually. (Not all salts will salt this sauce the same. Add more for a salted caramel sauce and less to just season the sauce.)
- Let the sauce stand to thicken for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Seal without air and cut off the tip with scissors. Pipe a generous drizzle of caramel over the frosted cookies. If desired, top each cookie with an unwrapped and halved soft caramel and a small sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: This recipe makes more frosting and caramel sauce than you’ll need for the cookies. Both these recipes work better with this quantity; too small a batch and it won’t combine well. Use leftover frosting and caramel to top pancakes or waffles for a fun dessert!
Note 2: If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour, you will pack in way too much flour; use a spoon to scoop it into a measuring cup and level the top with the back of a table knife.
Storage: Store unfrosted cookies at room temperature. Keep caramel sauce and frosting in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Freeze uncooked dough balls in a freezer bag/container.
Nutrition
Serving: 20g | Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 73g | Vitamin A: 628IU | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These cookies are beyond decadent and delicious! It literally doesn’t get better than this! They are worth every ounce of effort! We bake these at least 3 times a month!
Thank you so much Jaqulyn! 🙂