I LOVE a good cookie. I mean really any cookie, but a cookie with a great balance of flavor, a crunch and a twist is so satisfying. I feel like in the last two years salted cookies have been a trend, but to me salted caramel and salted chocolate have always been a thing. Does that even makes sense? The first time I made brownies as a kid, I remember thinking the box mix was too sweet. The second time I made them I added salt and they were perfect. To me, chocolate baked goods can take on the sugar in a way that needs to be balanced by a bite of salt. These have the perfect balance of both sweet, and salty.
Salt + Caramel the perfect combination
Salted caramel is a classic flavor. In this cookie, I play on the rich cocoa, the creamy caramel and salt to create harmony within the cookie. To me aa good cookie has a crispy edge, a soft center and a good moist crumb. I couldn’t put these cookies down after I made a whole batch – which is saying something because I bake all the time!
Ingredients for Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
These cookies are full of the best and honestly some of my favorite ingredients to eat and bake with:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Granulated Sugar (the best!)
- Flakey Sea Salt
- Smart Sweets Vegan Caramels
Why top with Sea Salt?
Let’s talk about balance. In baking you look for key flavors to balance the confection on your palate. A fatty element (usually butter or oil), sweetness (sugar, maple syrup etc), salt to bring out the sweet flavor without it being overly sweet and a textural element to excite the flavors on your tongue. In this cookie, the cocoa powder adds depth when combined with sugar that comes across as sweet and rich. The caramel adds a creamy and sweet flavor and the salt allows your tongue to balance and differentiate the sweetness of the chocolate cookie and the caramel to create a well balanced bite.
How to store the cookies / how long do they last?
This recipe for salted caramel stuffed chocolate cookies makes about 18 cookies. I used a package and a half of caramels. When I bake cookies, I typically bake the full batch and prep all the cookies, but only bake 1/2 at a time. The other prepared cookies I place in an airtight bag in the freezer for when I need a cookie, but don’t have time to bake! If you bake the cookies, keep them (if they last that long!) in an air-tight container or bag on the counter.
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Description
The best chocolate cookie, with oozy chewy vegan caramel in the middle.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of vegan butter
- 1/2 cups of brown sugar
- 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 egg or flax egg
- 1 cup of gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate
- a full pack of vegan caramels from smart sweets (you can use regular dairy caramels as well)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a baking sheet with vegan butter
- In a bowl using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer cream the vegan butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and lighter in color
- Add the egg or flax egg into the butter mixture and beat until fully combined
- Next add in the baking soda, vanilla extract and vanilla paste
- Add the gluten-free flour and cocoa powder in slowly until the dough is well combined
- Using a sharp knife, cut the caramels in half and using your hands roll them into a circle-ish shape, this doesn’t need to be perfect
- With two spoons, scoop about 2 tbsp worth of cookie dough into your hands and roll into a ball. With the cookie in your palm, press a thumb print into the cookie and place a caramel in the middle. Cover the caramel with the cookie dough and roll into a circle. Repeat with the rest of the cookies
- Place on the prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with flakey salt and bake for 10-13 minutes depending on the size of your cookies – cookies should be cracked and the edges looking firm
- Eat and enjoy!
2 Comments
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