These Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies are a thick, soft, chewy sugar cookie, topped with a beautiful pool of salted caramel icing! You can easily make a batch in just 20 minutes and they are perfect for cookie exchanges!
When I think fall, salted caramel immediately comes to mind. Maybe it’s the candy apples my mom always gave us for a special treat as we approached the season or that my salt craving goes up as the temperature goes down, but I can’t get enough of it.
You are going to love this thick, soft, chewy sugar cookie, topped with a beautiful pool of salted caramel icing. They’re one of my favorite fall cookie recipes!
But for now, let’s talk about these Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies.
Table of Contents
Salted Caramel Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- Butter – Salted, softened for a smooth texture.
- Vegetable Oil – Two forms of oil in this recipe give them a melt in your mouth texture.
- Brown Sugar – This ingredient gives them the caramel flavor and makes them stand out among traditional sugar cookies.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar, it’s fine texture is synonymous with sugar cookies.
- Vanilla – Homemade Vanilla or store bought, a hint adds rich flavor.
- Eggs – Large eggs, organic when possible.
- Flour – All purpose, no need to sift.
- Salt – Brings out all the other flavors in baking.
- Baking Soda – The leavening agent in these cookies that make them rise to perfection.
- Cream of Tartar – This ingredient increases the volume while keeping them light and bright.
Icing Ingredients
A blend of ingredients makes a smooth, delicious pool that floods these cookies with flavor.
- Butter
- Milk
- Brown Sugar
- Powdered Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla
How to Make Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies
These cookies are so much easier than you’d anticipate. No fussy details, just a simple thumbprint sugar cookie topped icing!
- Combine Wet Ingredients – Combine butter, oil, sugars, water and vanilla until smooth. Add in eggs and mix until just combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Mix and Chill Dough – Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Make Thumbprint Cookies – On a lined cookie sheet, drop large (golf ball size) dough balls and press with a small greased glass, followed by a spoon to make a pool for the icing. Bake 8 minutes.
- Make Icing – Cream butter, milk, sugars, vanilla and salt.
- Fill – Using a teaspoon, fill the baked sugar cookies.
How Do You Know When The Cookies Are Done?
The most important thing to remember when baking sugar cookies is to not over bake, so watch them carefully as each oven can vary slightly and you’ll be rewarded with crave-able cookies. When ready, the cookies will be set and no longer appear soft, you can test them by gently touching them with a spatula to see if they are firm.
Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies Are Always Popular!
Why do I call them salted caramel sugar cookies? Because that’s how our friends and family {my market research team} described them when they took a bite.
The slightly salty brown sugar icing is the perfect compliment. So go ahead, try them for yourself and let me know what you think!
Sugar cookies are pretty near perfect by themselves, but topped with a salted caramel icing and I’m in heaven! I’m an avid fan of sweet and salty treats, like my Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce, and I love how this icing pairs so well with a basic sugar cookie.
Tips
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before forming the cookies.
- Bake the cookies in a pre-heated oven for the best results.
- Let the cookies cool before icing them.
If you try this salted caramel sugar cookie recipe, please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too! For more easy recipes and simple living ideas, subscribe to my newsletter!
More Fall Cookie Recipes
- Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Carmelita Cookies
- Toffee Cookies
- Glazed Apple Pie Spice Cookies
Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cups brown sugar packed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 6 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Icing
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, oil, sugars, water and vanilla until smooth.
- Add eggs and mix until just combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
- Refrigerate dough 30 minutes and preheat oven to 350°F.
- On a parchment lined cookie sheet, drop large (golf ball size) dough balls and press with a small greased glass to flatten and use the back of a spoon to make a pool for the icing.
- Bake 8 minutes.
Icing
- Cream butter, milk, sugars, vanilla and salt until creamy.
- Using a teaspoon, fill the baked sugar cookies.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before forming the cookies.
- When mixing the wet and dry ingredients, blend them gradually.
- Bake the cookies in a pre-heated oven for the best results.
- Let the cookies cool completely before icing them.
The cookie turned out amazing and was delish on its own. However, my icing was a bit grainy and I made it twice to see if it was something I did. Any thoughts? Otherwise the cookie was a huge hit!
I’m sorry to hear that. Cream softened butter longer to allow the sugar to dissolve. I’m glad everyone enjoyed them!
Six cups of flour? Am I ready that right?
Yes – so good!
How many cookies does this make?
Hi! I am trying to get ahead on my Christmas baking, I see that you do not recommend freezing the dough but do you think the baked cookies would freeze well?
I think so! Enjoy!
The cookies turned out great..a little dry but this was my first attempt…my kids don’t like the salty taste but I explained it was a salted caramel cookie…I’ll definitely make them again..
Those cookies look so cute! I want to serve them with tea. I’m planning to have a tea party with my friends soon, and these cookies would be great for that occasion. Thanks for sharing, Julie!
Oh my goodness! Best cookies ever! Made almost 3 dozen. Used dark brown sugar as well as dark brown vanilla so mine turned out darker than the recipe
I am making these cookies now for a party tonight. Can’t wait to see how they turn out! I have a comment about the recipe. It calls for 1 Cup of powdered sugar in the cookie dough part. I thought powdered sugar, that’s weird but then thought maybe it was a new way of making cookies so I added it. Then I saw the word “sugar” was highlighted so I clicked on it and it brought me to regular granulated sugar. I dumped it out and started over. I don’t know how much it would have changed the recipe or if it would have at all, maybe that is why one user couldn’t get the consistency that she wanted but I am glad I started over because the dough is really good! They’re going to be a hit!
Thank you for bringing that to my attention – it is in fact powdered sugar, but either will work. I have updated to clarify.
Sorry, I never was good at Maths. The recipe calls for 27 0z flour? Thanks.
Me either! My new recipe card {coming next month} will convert it all for you. My apologies for the inconvenience. This will help: https://www.thekitchn.com/weight-conversions-for-flour-sugar-and-other-common-baking-ingredients-171316
Hello. This recipe looks gorgeous. Would you mind confirming that the C used when detailing the quantity for each ingredient is referring to a Cup, in that case are there are 6 Cups of flour in the recipe? Is a cup 4 1/2 ounces – so the recipe calls for 36 ones of flour? Thank you.
Correct!
Could not find the salt taste but bought mixed nuts lots a salt on them chopped them and added the salty mixed nuts on the top of cookies was very good … the cookies needed something!
Do you think there would be a problem making these cookies smaller? I understand I would adjust the bake time.
Not at all, you can use your finger to create a well for the icing. Enjoy!
Wow!! These look so perfect and delish!! Pinning for later!
These look incredible! These would disappear in our house!
These are like the dream cookie. You had me at salted caramel!
These look SOOOOO good!
OMG yum!!! I have a weakness for salted caramel and cookies so this is right up my alley!
What a darling cookie!
6 cups of flour for 36 cookies? That seems like an awful lot of flour?
You won’t regret it! They’re sugar cookie style! Enjoy.
Hi
Is the icing beaten or melted in the microwave
Beaten, enjoy!
The only sugar cookie I’ve ever liked!
Loved these not-too-sweet cookies!
Hi just found these and was wondering if the dough can be frozen at all? And if so then the directions for cooking would the same once they get back to room temperature? Thanks
I don’t recommend it on this particular dough – it would make it really hard to work with. You can always cut the recipe in half if you don’t want a large batch at once. Enjoy!
Is there a trick to the icing? I can’t get it to harden at all. It’s super runny. More powdered sugar?
It will harden as it cools
I’m wondering if these would work if I flattened them out a bit and used the icing to cover them fully? Or are they too crumbly for that? I want to add red and green food coloring to the icing to make Christmas tree ornaments.
You can certainly do that. I don’t think they’d make great ornaments though. I have a colored salt dough ornament recipe though if you’d like!
Hi Julie, when you say you melt the icing in a measuring cup, do you melt it in the microwave? If so, for how long (approx)?
Thanks!
Yes, just 10-15 seconds, until pourable.
Do you wait for the cookies to cool before adding the frosting?
Thanks!
Yes, they don’t have to be completely cooled, just a few minutes so they set. Happy Holidays!
Hoping for a quick answer here – is the dough suppost to be dry and crumbly ?? It won’t even squish together as dough
No, it’s a slightly drier dough since it’s a sugar cookie, but easily moldable. Did you refrigerate for an extended period of time? If so, allow the dough to sit out until moldable. (And always keep it covered).
Would it be ok to refrigerate the dough over night?
Sure! It will just have to thaw until moldable. Keep it in an airtight container for the best results.
How many dozen does this batch make?
3 dozen’ish depending on the size dough balls you make. Enjoy!
I got 83 cookies
How much salt is in the icing? 1/4 what? I can’t wait to try these out for my work cookie exchange!
My apologies – an optional teaspoon of salt.
What size balls ? oneTablespoon?
Large golf ball size. Enjoy!
Hi Julie,
We made your cookies this weekend and couldn’t create the icing as yours appeared. We followed the steps however they were very gritty even after blending for an extended period of time. We ended up cooking on the stove and drizzling over top and it worked really well and still very tasty.
Any ideas what we could be doing wrong?
Did you try this tip included in my post? “Finally, I melt the icing in a measuring cup so that it can easily pour into the cookie pool and harden just perfect”
These look beautiful, and I bet they taste great. I want to try them with chai spices, too, as I think that would be a nice variation. I think we just found our Christmas cookie!!! Thanks so much for posting : )
Thanks, Melissa, that sounds like a fun twist. Happy Holidays!
DELICIOUS! I happened to have some coarse salt on hand so I sprinkled a little on the tops! These cookies are to die for! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks SO much for sharing, Mary! You have to try my melt in your mouth sugar cookies, too. Happy Holidays!
Do you think I could substitute coconut oil for the veg oil?
I’m not sure – I don’t bake with coconut oil, sorry
Lisa, I used coconut coil in my cookies and they turned out great. I also had to substitute gluten free flour and vegan butter to meet my husband’s dietary restrictions. We served them this weekend at a party and everyone loved them and had no idea the difference!
I have the same question as Jen, I thought these were salted caramel cookies? The icing does not resemble salted caramel at all, and contains no salt…
The icing includes 4 ingredients I use in salted caramel and according to my friends and family, that’s exactly what the cookies taste like. I hope you enjoy them as well!
Hi I just have two questions about this recipe- in the icing part, it calls for 1/4 salt.. what is the measurement on this? And then do you add the salt in with step 8 in the icing?
Thanks! They look amazing! I want to try these!
Your cookies look beautiful, I’m just wondering where the caramel part comes in because they seems to be brown sugar cookies with a brown sugar frosting. Am I supposed to sprinkle salt over the frosting at the end to make it “salted caramel”?
I am going to put this cookie on my Christmas cookie list!