Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you say "car-mel" or "care-a-mel"??  The latter seems to waste too many syllables when you could be spending that time chewing.  I wasn't a huge caramel fan as a kid.  Scarred, I think, from the time I lost my tooth in a Rolo.  I did, however, always love a giant-sized, tart apple dipped in the sweet, goeey stuff come fall.  So I think caramel reminds me of this time of year.  And that is why I put it in a cookie.  Hold on to your teeth. 

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes 2 dozen)

Printable Recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp course salt

5 oz. chopped caramels (the smaller the pieces the better)

1 pkg. semisweet chocolate chips or 1 large bittersweet or dark chocolate bar, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350.  With a handheld or standing mixer, beat together butter and both sugars until combined, a few minutes.  Add egg and egg yolk, beating in between.  Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.  In a separate bowl, sift together bread flour, baking soda and baking powder and then add salt (do not sift).  Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix until just combined.  Stir in chocolate and caramel.    

Place large spoonfuls on baking sheet, a couple of inches apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes.  (The caramel might cause them to form funky shapes, like mine below.  Top left is Yoda and bottom right is a turkey.  I just cut those weird appendages off and they looked nice and round.)  

Hell yes I put my Halloween decorations up on October 1st.