Irresistible Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies with Gooey Caramel Delight
Learn how to make delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies with Gooey Caramel. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (natural or classic works fine)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 12 soft caramel squares (like Kraft caramels), unwrapped
Substitution tips: If you prefer, you can swap creamy peanut butter for chunky to add a bit more texture. For a gluten-free version, try a cup of almond flour mixed with 1/4 cup oat flour, but keep an eye on baking time. Dark chocolate chips also work beautifully if you like a richer chocolate flavor.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This will keep your cookies from sticking and help them bake evenly—something Mama Lu always swore by when making her biscuits.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3 to 4 minutes with a hand mixer or stand mixer. I always think of this step as where the magic starts—when simple ingredients begin to turn into something sweet and inviting.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. The batter will be thick and rich, just like the stories Mama Lu told while we kneaded dough on the kitchen counter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Overmixing can make cookies tough, so a gentle hand here is key—just like in the old farmhouse kitchen where patience was an ingredient unto itself.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. This is where the cookie begins to get its personality—little pockets of chocolate that melt in the oven.
- Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop half of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each mound slightly with your fingers or the back of a spoon to create a small well in the center—this is where the gooey caramel will go.
- Place one unwrapped caramel square into the center of each cookie mound, then cover with the remaining dough, gently sealing the edges around the caramel. This step requires a little tenderness and a bit of patience—reminiscent of the care Mama Lu put into folding her blackberry jam into biscuits.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the center still looks soft. The caramel should be melting inside but not oozing out too much.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This resting time lets the caramel set slightly, so you get that perfect gooey center without getting burned.
