You didn’t think I forgot about the 12 Days of Cookies, did you? NEVER! Believe me, I’ve been testing, tasting & tasting, just for you. Okay, you caught me, maybe a little for myself, too! These cookies however are selfless. I have never been a fan of oats, my Chris is a huge fan. He’s always a great taster. He’s as honest as they come. We frequented a create-your-own salad restaurant in Kansas City…it was inevitable, just as we were about to leave, Chris would get a caramelita to go. He was obsessed. I recreated the caramelita bar, but thought it would be fun to put them into cookie form for Christmas! I guess they passed the test because we’re down in less than 24 hours. Not that I’m counting. My tip for irresistible caramelita cookies is serving them warm, so you get the gooey texture that you get in a bar. Like most of my recipes, they are incredibly quick & easy to make, too!
Caramelita Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ c flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ c butter melted
- 1 ¼ c brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ c chocolate chips
- 1 ½ c oats
- caramels
- salt in a grinder
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking soda, cornstarch & salt. Set aside.
- Combine butter, brown sugar, vanilla, & egg until just slightly beaten. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients, followed by chocolate chips & oats.
- Chill dough 2+ hours.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make small dough balls, press, add a caramel & press another dough ball around it to encase it. I do this using a cookie scoop, dividing it into halves. Crack salt on top.
- Bake 10 minutes.
I use Werther’s caramels because they are SO much easier to unwrap than other brands. I personally cut them in half, but you certainly don’t have to! Be careful not to overbeat the mixture so that they result in thick & chewy cookies.
I hope you enjoy these caramelita cookies as much as Chris & the girls did! Click here for more of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes & a couple of cobblers too!
Julie
Julie – I am NOT a baker. In fact, I almost break out in hives when I think about it and I’ve had some real disasters. But these cookies have put me on the map!! When I read the recipe I felt like I could give it a try. Well, the cookies came out perfect and were so delicious. My family is still talking about them and I feel like I conquered the world. These will definitely become a holiday favorite. Thanks for sharing. After such a success I might just be able to try another recipe soon.
Diana, I am elated! Congratulations! This makes me so incredibly happy & excited for you. I can’t wait to hear what you try next. Merry Christmas!
Caramel + chocolate = perfection!