Salted Caramel Cashew Cookies might be the most irresistible cookies you’ll ever bake. This simple, unique recipe balances sweet and salty flavors with a chewy caramel center and crunchy cashews — perfect for holiday cookie platters or any time you want a show-stopping treat.
These cookies combine buttery dough, chopped caramels, and cashew halves, finished with a sprinkle of sea salt for contrast. They bake up golden around the edges with a tender, chewy center where the caramel melts into pockets of gooey sweetness. If you enjoy desserts that marry salty and sweet, this recipe will quickly become a favorite.
This recipe is ideal for holidays, cookie exchanges, or cozy weekend baking. It produces a generous batch and stores well for gifting or serving to guests. Below you’ll find the ingredient list, clear step-by-step instructions, and helpful tips to ensure consistently great results.
Ingredients you’ll need
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup caramels, chopped
- ½ cup cashew halves
- ½ tsp sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
Step by step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, ½ tsp salt, and baking powder until evenly combined.
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, then the egg, and then the egg yolk, mixing well after each addition.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until a cohesive dough forms.
- Fold in the chopped caramels and cashew halves so they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Chilling helps control spread and concentrates the flavors.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and scoop portions onto a baking stone or lined baking sheet, spacing them a couple of inches apart.
- Lightly sprinkle additional sea salt over each mound of dough, then bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool on the baking stone or sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Cooling on a rack prevents the caramel from sticking and helps the cookies set properly.
Yield and timing
Servings: about 36 cookies. Prep time: ~15 minutes (plus chilling). Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: roughly 35 minutes from start to finish when chilling time is minimal.
Tips for success
- Chop caramels into small, uniform pieces so they distribute evenly through the dough and create small pockets of caramel rather than a single large lava center.
- If you don’t have a baking stone, use a heavy baking sheet or lined sheet pan; a preheated stone helps create a crisp bottom, but it’s not required.
- Chill the dough if your kitchen is warm. Chilled dough spreads less and yields a chewier center with crisp edges.
- Watch the cookies toward the end of baking; you want golden edges but slightly soft centers that firm as they cool.
- Sprinkle sea salt after scooping but before baking to get an even salty finish that contrasts the caramel sweetness.
Variations and substitutions
- Swap the cashews for pecans, almonds, or walnuts for a different crunch and flavor profile.
- Use soft caramels or caramel bits specifically designed for baking. If using hard caramels, chop finely and consider slightly longer baking to melt them through.
- For a chocolatey twist, fold in ½ cup chocolate chips or drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies.
Storage and serving
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you plan to store longer, freeze baked cookies wrapped tightly for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature. These cookies make a lovely addition to holiday cookie tins, gift boxes, or dessert platters.
More cookie recipes
If you enjoy these salted caramel cashew cookies, try other popular cookie ideas such as Nutella chocolate chip cookies, hot chocolate cookie cups, pumpkin spice cookies with white chocolate chips, red velvet cookie cups, oatmeal raisin cookies with caramel filling, or double chocolate cookies.
Nutrition overview (approximate per cookie)
- Calories: 115 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 107 mg
- Sugar: 10 g
Enjoy making these salted caramel cashew cookies for your next gathering. They strike a delightful balance of flavors and textures — sweet, salty, chewy, and nutty — and are sure to impress family and friends. Happy baking!
