by 
I am a huge fan of caramel. I can not get enough of it. So I decided to create a caramel pecan cookie. I modified a standard cookie recipe to include dark brown sugar. The added molasses in the dark brown sugar enhanced the caramel and pecan flavor. These were some of most delicious cookies that I have ever made.
Caramel Pecan Cookies
I could not find caramel bits so I bought kraft caramels and cut them into tiny cubes. Then I dusted them in a tsp of flour to keep them from sticking together. This also allowed them to be even distributed throughout the dough.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the butter, sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer. Mix on medium until the mixture the is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to fully incorporate each egg into the mixture before adding the next one.
Gradually add the flour, salt and baking soda to the mixture.
Beat until combined.
Stir in the caramel pieces and the crushed pecans.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat and then place 1 tablespoon sized portions onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.
When golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes. If you have a wire rack, remove the cookies to the rack to fully cool. If you do not have a wire rack allow the cookies to fully cool on the cookie sheet.
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup caramel pieces
- 1 cup crushed pecans
-
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Place the butter, sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer.
-
Mix on medium until the mixture the is light and fluffy.
-
Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure to fully incorporate each egg into the mixture before adding the next one.
-
Gradually add the flour, salt and baking soda to the mixture.
-
Beat until combined.
-
Stir in the caramel pieces and the crushed pecans.
-
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat and then place 1 tablespoon sized portions onto the baking sheet.
-
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.
-
When golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes. If you have a wire rack, remove the cookies to the rack to fully cool. If you do not have a wire rack allow the cookies to fully cool on the cookie sheet.
This recipe is a modified Toll House recipe.
These were delicious and did not last long in the house. These are a must make cookie.
I love the caramel idea because I do not recall finding caramel pieces anywhere either. YUM!
Just made these today, a perfect fall recipe. This receipe best replicates the caramel/pecan cookies at my local market, which are simply delightful. The only problem was the caramel sticking to the wax paper…I never found an easy way to get around this. But, these are simply delightful. Thank you.
I am glad that you enjoyed them. These are definitely one of my favorite cookies. As for the caramel sticking, try parchment paper or a sil pat instead of wax paper.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008T960/ref=a…
Thanks again for the great comment.
Rex
I made these today and the first batch was awful they all ran together and was quite thin
I added more flour and they came out beautifully. I live on Colorado so I think the altitude had something to do with it. I added an additional half cup of regular flour.
I think if you let it cool long enough on the parchment, then give them a slight twist, they come off clean. The caramel on the bottom needs some time to cool and solidify first.
One word… Yummy! I used the caramel bits. It isnt quite like the delicious cookie I had up in Loveland Colorado but it is a very close second!
I’ve been trying to replicate a local caramel/pecan cookie recipe for a couple of years and this one is it! Woohoo! I’m not a fan of Kraft caramels, so I substituted Trader Joe’s caramels (cut into smaller pieces). Perfect! Thanks SO much! Soft and chewy with crisp edges! YUM!
Dec 2022. – This was my first try at making this recipe and they were good! BUT, I used Werther’s chewy caramel (cut up) and the chunks melted into bottom of cookie and then burned. What did I do wrong? Where/what on caramels? I want to try again, please help!
Karen,
Did you dust the caramels with flour? I used about 1 tsp of flour to coat my caramels. The flour allows the caramels to stay distributed in the cookie better. Also, I have found that cooking these on parchment or a silpat gives a better finished product.
Rex
These spread like crazy over the banking pan, turning into one mono-cookie. What happened? I followed the recipe exactly.
Or maybe I didn’t? Might have not added enough flour. Will try again. They taste great, just look awful. 🙁
These were yummy! I did use parchment and a 1” cookie scoop. For the caramels, I used the Kraft caramel bite (little balls). When scooping, I pushed any caramel bits on the bottom inward. I will say letting them cool for a while, then gently twisting the cookie helped release the cookie from the sheet. As the author mentioned, let them cool. That is so the caramel can solidify enough to easily remove from the baking sheet. Parchment helps, I think. Glad I tried them! I may add a little cinnamon next time just to try it!