Caramel Cookie Cups

Name: Caramel Cookie Cups
Prep time: 110 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup light brown sugar (packed); 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp sea salt; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 large eggs (room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar (200g); 1/4 cup water; 150 ml heavy whipping cream (room temperature); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (100g, room temperature); 250 g good quality dark chocolate (finely chopped); 125 ml heavy whipping cream

February 1, 2016 by Olivia 35 Comments

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Chewy caramel cookie cups loaded with gooey caramel and topped with a silky dark chocolate ganache.

Gooey is an understatement. You’re going to need a napkin nearby when eating one of these Caramel Cookie Cups, but I’m guessing you’re ok with that. I mean, LOOK at that caramel. Heaven.

I’ve collaborated with a few Canadian blogger friends once again, and this time Charlene from Chew Street came up with a Chocolate theme for Valentine’s Day.

The idea for these Caramel Cookie Cups came to me from this pin which uses a clever two-pan method, but that’s not how I ended up making them. That WAS my plan, but I was worried the cookie dough would be too firm and wouldn’t bake/shape up properly.

To make the cookie crust, I adapted my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe minus the chocolate chips, used a large cookie scoop to portion it, and baked them up. I still baked them in a muffin tin, but then I used a the cap from my Pam for Baking cooking spray to press down into the cookies right after they came out of the oven. You could use any small jar or container as long as it’s smaller than the muffin tin cup size. You need to do this when the cookies are still HOT though, so be careful not to burn yourself.

I made the caramel from scratch, but you could use store-bought as well. Caramel and I are not exactly friends. For some reason, I always struggled with it in pastry school. Then again, working with boiling sugar is not my favourite thing to do. I was stressing a bit about making it, but it was actually easier than I remembered, and every bit as delicious. The caramel sauce is a bit on the thinner side, even after chilling, so if you’d like it thicker just use a bit less cream in the recipe. You’ll need to refrigerate this before using it in the cups, so I recommend making it as the cookie dough is chilling.

The chocolate ganache is incredibly simple to make. Chop some chocolate, boil some cream, and you’re done. It’s really important that you use good quality chocolate. I used Callebaut Dark Chocolate because it’s easily available to me. The dark chocolate worked well here, cutting against the sweetness of the caramel for the perfect overall balance. But you can use milk chocolate if you prefer. Whichever you choose, good quality chocolate really makes a big difference in both flavour and texture, so try to get the best you can.

Typically I would let the ganache sit in the fridge overnight, but it would get too firm in this case. You just need to cool it to room temperature so it doesn’t soften the caramel when you pour it on.

I used a measuring cup and a teaspoon to fill each of the cups, but you could use a piping bag if you prefer. I poured in some caramel, placed the cups in the freezer for 30mins, then topped with the chocolate ganache and some sea salt. How much caramel/chocolate you add in each cup is up to you!

These Caramel Cookie Cups are ultra decadent and delicious. Plus, you can easily try different combinations of cookie, filling, and chocolate. I already have a few ideas on my radar.

Be sure to check out the delicious Chocolate-themed recipes from my Canadian blogger friends after the recipe!

Notes & tips for these Caramel Cookie Cups:

You can use store-bought caramel if you prefer, though I would recommend Dulce de Leche since i find it a bit thicker.
Ensure the ganache and caramel are completely cool before pouring them into the cups.
Chill the cups once the caramel layer is in to firm them up.
These freeze very well! Store in fridge for up to 5 days or in freezer (in an airtight container) for 1-2 months.

4.34 from 3 votes