Name: Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup room-temperature butter; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup chopped soft caramels or caramel chips

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Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies are the kind of cookie that smells like fall the moment they hit the oven — warm brown sugar, a gentle cinnamon spice, and pockets of soft caramel. I’ve made these dozens of times for bake sales and weeknight treats, and they’re reliably soft in the center with lightly crisp edges. If you enjoy cookies with caramel surprises and a cozy spice note, this recipe is a keeper; for a different cookie vibe try brown butter raspberry chocolate chip cookies to compare textures.

Why Make This Recipe

Flavor balance: brown sugar gives molasses depth while cinnamon brightens each bite.
Texture contrast: soft, chewy centers with slightly crisper edges and gooey caramel centers.
Convenience: dough comes together in one bowl and bakes in 10–12 minutes per batch.
Crowd-pleaser: perfect for holidays, school events, or an afternoon coffee break.
Personal insight: I love this recipe because the caramel creates little molten centers that make each cookie feel indulgent without extra fuss — they’re simple but feel special.
If you like desserts that pair sweet and spiced notes, you might also enjoy the brown sugar maple pecan cookie pie for a larger-format treat.

Recipe Overview

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 30–60 minutes chilling optional)
Cook time: 10–12 minutes per sheet
Total time: 40–90 minutes depending on chilling
Servings: Makes about 24 cookies (using a 1.5 tbsp scoop)
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Cream butter and sugars, add egg and flavorings, fold in dry ingredients, stir in chopped soft caramels or caramel chips, portion, chill if desired, and bake at 350°F (175°C) until edges are set.

My Experience Making This Recipe

I tested this recipe across a few oven types and refined the bake time to 10–12 minutes at 350°F (175°C) for a 1.5-tablespoon cookie. Early tests had too-much caramel leakage, so I adjusted the caramel size and added a short chill step to reduce spreading. The final version is repeatable and consistently soft in the center.

How to Make Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies

Start by creaming room-temperature butter with brown sugar until light and slightly fluffy — this traps air for a tender crumb. Add an egg and vanilla, then fold in dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Stir in chopped soft caramels or caramel chips (about 1 cup) and chill the dough 30–60 minutes for better shape control. Scoop onto a parchment-lined sheet, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, and cool on a wire rack; the centers will remain soft as the cookies set.

Expert Tips for Success

Use room-temperature butter (about 65–68°F / 18–20°C) so it creams quickly and evenly; over-beating can make cookies cakey.
Chill the dough 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm or if you want taller cookies; this slows spreading and concentrates flavor.
For even baking, use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to make uniform cookies and rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking.
Choose soft caramels or caramel baking chips; if using individually wrapped caramels, chop them into roughly 1/4-inch pieces so they melt without turning into large gooey puddles. For a drier caramel surprise, freeze the chopped caramels for 10 minutes before folding them in.
Bake on a silicone mat or parchment and let cookies rest on the hot pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish setting.

(For a quicker caramel-studded treat, see this idea using a cake-mix approach: cake mix caramel brownies.)

How to Serve Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies

Serve warm with a cold glass of milk or a mug of spiced coffee to balance the caramel sweetness.
Plate on a tiered tray for parties; dust lightly with powdered sugar or drizzle melted dark chocolate for contrast.
Make them part of a cookie gift box with hardy cookies like brown sugar pineapple chicken themed sweets if you’re doing a savory-sweet menu.
These also freeze well; bake ahead and reheat briefly before serving for fresh-out-of-the-oven warmth.

Storage and Reheating Guide

Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days; separate layers with parchment to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a tray until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen or refrigerated for 5–7 minutes at 325°F (163°C) on a baking sheet to revive the gooey caramel center without over-browning.

Recipe Variations

Gluten-free: Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum; chill dough slightly longer for structure.
Dairy-free / Vegan: Use vegan butter and dairy-free caramel pieces (check labels) and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water). Texture will be slightly different but still chewy.
Nutty twist: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch and to accent the brown sugar notes.
Chocolate caramel: Add 1/2 cup dark or milk chocolate chips and a pinch of sea salt on top right after baking for a salted chocolate-caramel profile.

Nutritional Highlights

These are an indulgent cookie: high in sugar and calories, best enjoyed in moderation as an occasional treat.
Contain wheat and dairy by default; make adaptations noted above for gluten-free or dairy-free diets.
If serving to groups, provide portion guidance (1 cookie per person at events) to help manage intake.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cookies spread too thin: Chill dough 30–60 minutes and reduce oven temperature by 10°F if your oven runs hot. Use room-temperature butter, not softened-to-melt.
Caramel oozes excessively: Chop caramels smaller (1/4-inch) and briefly freeze pieces before mixing in to minimize melting during bake.
Cookies are dry or cakey: Don’t overbake — remove them when edges are set and centers look slightly underdone; they’ll finish setting on the hot pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use caramel bits instead of chopped soft caramels?
A: Yes — caramel baking bits are designed not to fully melt and typically hold shape better. If using wrapped caramels, chop them finely and consider a 10-minute chill so they don’t pool during baking.

Q: How do I stop the bottoms from burning?
A: Use a light-colored baking sheet, line it with parchment or a silicone mat, and check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. If the bottoms brown too quickly, tent with foil and lower rack position one notch.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead and freeze it?
A: Yes. Scoop dough onto a tray, freeze until firm, then transfer scoops to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Q: What size caramel pieces work best?
A: Aim for roughly 1/4-inch pieces so they soften into little pockets without turning into a molten puddle that makes cookies collapse. For larger caramel pieces, briefly freeze them before folding in.

Conclusion

If you want to explore a closely related caramel cookie with a soft texture and snickerdoodle spices, check out this recipe for Soft Caramel Snickerdoodles – Sally’s Baking for inspiration on technique and caramel handling.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Cookies