Butter<\/strong>. We need half a stick (or 2 ounces\/ 57 grams of unsalted butter).<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Brown Sugar<\/strong>. Three tablespoons (packed) of brown sugar. You can use either light or dark brown sugar here, both work well, but dark brown sugar has slightly more molasses so the cookies will be slightly darker.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Granulated Sugar<\/strong>. Just two level tablespoons of granulated sugar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Egg Yolk<\/strong>. We are just using the egg yolk for this cookie and not the whole egg<\/em>! This is because the egg yolk is primarily made up of fat, which makes for a chewy, rich cookie. The egg white is just protein and moisture, but we do not need it in such a small batch of cookies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Vanilla<\/strong>. I believe the best quality vanilla extract makes the best cookies, so I use a Bourbon-aged vanilla extract.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Flour<\/strong>. We need 1\/2 cup (or 60 grams) of all-purpose regular flour. The best way to measure flour is with a scale, but if you must use cups, fluff it, scoop it into the cup and then level the top with a knife.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Instant Espresso Powder<\/strong>. The key to making chocolate chip cookies tastes better than everyone else’s (including the bakeries) is to use instant espresso powder in the dough. It’s just a small amount (1\/4 teaspoon) but it brings a depth of flavor that enhances the chocolate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Baking Powder<\/strong>. Just a 1\/4 teaspoon of baking powder helps these cookies spread out and bake evenly in the oven.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Chocolate<\/strong>. The best type of chocolate to use is a chopped bar, because it melts inside the cookies, while chocolate chips stay firm. However, you can use either. You need 1\/3 cup of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, your choice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Caramel<\/strong>. I really recommend using artisan\/ homemade\/ all-natural caramels for this recipe. These type of caramels are made with heavy cream and plenty of butter, so they melt evenly in these cookies, and they stay soft as the cookie cools. The packaged caramels (Kraft Brand), have a tendency to harden when the cookies cool. It is okay though, you can use the Kraft ones, but chop them into smaller pieces and serve the cookies warm, not cold. But again, if you want the melty caramel affect for these cookies, and if you like the way they look in the photos, you need to use high-quality real caramels. I like the Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel caramels or buying caramels from a chocolate chop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n

Salt<\/strong>. We need a big pinch of salt for the dough, and a flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top to serve. The sea salt on top is optional, however, but the salt in the cookie dough is not. Never be afraid of adding salt to a dessert–it balances the sweet flavors!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The Instructions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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$\"White$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Egg$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Preheat the oven to 375, and have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine the softened butter and both types of sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, at least 1 minute.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Next, add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and beat again just to combine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Flour$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Dry$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the butter and sugars, and beat just until combined and no streaks of flour are visible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Chopped$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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$\"Adding$ <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Stir in the chopped chocolate by hand. Use strong kitchen scissors to snip each caramel into 3-4 pieces.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Divide the dough into six equal pieces, and add 3 pieces of the chopped caramel on top of each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
$\"Cooling$ <\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to set up, and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salty Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Tips:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Caramel<\/strong> – For the best results, I really recommend all natural caramels. This means caramels made from ingredients you can pronounce, not something that is shelf-stable for a decade. I buy homemade caramels from a chocolate shop, or I use Trader Joe’s Fleur De Sel caramels. However, you can use the pre-made caramel candies (Kraft) that you use for making caramel apples, but please note that the caramel pieces on top might harden too much when cooling. To combat this, you can lower the oven temperature to 350 and eat them right when they come out of the oven. Just snip each caramel into 3-4 little pieces before pressing them into the cookie dough. But for the absolute best results: real, homemade artisan caramel candies will be your best choice here.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Chocolate Chips<\/strong> – Instead of chocolate chips, which are meant to hold together even when baked, I opt for chopped chocolate in this cookie. When you chop the chocolate, tiny bits of it get dispersed throughout the dough. The overall result is more melty, delicious chocolate in each bite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Storage:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
These cookies are best eaten warm right from the cooling rack, because the caramel is melty and soft. You can store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can freeze the dough for future baking, but do not freeze it with the caramel pieces. Snip and add the caramel just before baking. You can also freezer already baked cookies, but defrost on the counter for several hours until the caramel is soft again.<\/p>\n\n\n