Salted caramel Chocolate pecan cookies

There's always room for a new chocolate chip cookie in your recipe collection. This version, with extra-large chocolate chips, toasted pecans and chunks of caramel is worth a spot! These cookies are soft with a slightly crispy exterior. Sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt - it's cookie perfection.

Our recipe is slightly adapted from one from one of our favorite recipe creators, Sally's Baking Addiction. You should try it. Please chill the dough before baking. It makes a difference in the flavor and the thickness of the cookies.

​Makes about 2 dozen average size cookies. 
​

ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (71g) chopped unsalted or salted pecans, toasted is best!
• 16 wrapped caramels, cut into 4 or 5 pieces each
• sea salt for sprinkling

directions

1. In your stand mixer with SideSwipe or your paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until fluffy and light in color.
2. Mix in egg and vanilla extract under well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Add to mixer bowl.
4. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until just barely combined. It is ok if there are small streaks of dry ingredients. They will be mixed when you add the next ingredients. The cookie dough will be thick and somewhat sticky.
5. Add the chocolate chips and pecans, then mix until evenly distributed. You can add some caramel chunks at this stage, but save some to stud the top of the cookies just before baking.
6. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 4 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough so the cookies don't over-spread.
7. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
8. The cookie dough will be slightly crumbly, but will come together as you roll into individual balls with your hands. (We used a 1.5 Tbl cookie scoop and did not roll by hand) Roll balls of dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each, and arrange 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few pieces of caramel onto the tops of the cookies and sprinkle each with sea salt.
9. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. The centers will look soft.
10. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

​
Make ahead tip: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 3. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.