Get ready to experience a cookie that’s both familiar and wonderfully surprising! These Miso Caramel Cookies offer a delightful balance of sweet and savory, with a chewy texture that’s simply irresistible. The subtle umami notes from the miso paste elevate the classic caramel flavor into something truly special, making these your new go-to treat.
Imagine biting into a soft, golden cookie, the warm, gooey caramel center yielding with each bite, all finished with a delicate sparkle of flaky sea salt.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Sweet caramel with hints of savory umami, a touch of salt.
- Texture: Chewy and soft cookie with a gooey, melted caramel center.
- Total Active Time: Approximately 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Bake Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
What You’ll Need
To create these delightful Miso Caramel Cookies, you’ll be working with a classic cookie base enhanced by the unique addition of miso paste. You’ll also need soft caramel candies to create that luscious, gooey center, and of course, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to finish.
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour – The foundation of our cookie, providing structure.
- Baking Soda – Our leavening agent, helping the cookies spread and become tender.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
- Unsalted Butter, Softened – Crucial for a creamy dough and good texture. Make sure it’s softened, not melted, for proper creaming.
- White Granulated Sugar & Dark Brown Sugar – The combination gives our cookies a lovely balance of sweetness and moisture, contributing to their chewy texture.
- White Miso Paste – This is our secret ingredient! It adds a wonderfully complex savory depth that beautifully complements the sweet caramel.
- Large Egg – Binds the ingredients together and adds richness.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – A classic flavor enhancer that rounds out the cookie’s profile.
- Soft Caramel Candies – These will melt into a glorious, gooey center. You can use small, individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped and roughly chopped if they are very firm.
- Flaky Sea Salt – A finishing touch that provides a delightful textural contrast and pops of salty flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
While these cookies are designed to be a perfect balance as is, feel free to experiment!
- For a Deeper Miso Flavor: If you love the savory notes, you could very slightly increase the miso paste to 2 1/2 tablespoons, but be mindful not to overpower the caramel.
- Different Caramel: While soft caramels are ideal for melting, you could also use small chunks of a softer caramel candy bar, ensuring they are bite-sized.
- Drizzled Caramel: Instead of stuffing the cookies, you could bake them plain and then drizzle melted caramel over the cooled cookies, followed by the flaky sea salt.
How to Make Miso Caramel Cookies
This recipe is wonderfully straightforward, focusing on creating a tender dough and then infusing it with that irresistible caramel surprise.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set this aside.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) of softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup white granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the 2 tablespoons of white miso paste and mix until it’s smoothly incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the 1 large egg and 1.5 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract until just combined.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. This step is important for making the dough easier to handle and for developing flavor.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Form and Stuff Cookies: Scoop rounded portions of the chilled dough (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons each). Flatten each portion in your palm, place a soft caramel candy in the center, and then carefully enclose the caramel with the dough, shaping it into a smooth ball. Ensure the caramel is completely sealed within the dough.
- Bake: Place the cookie balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly soft.
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Finish: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they are still warm, generously sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Pro Tip: When sealing the caramel inside the dough, take your time to ensure there are no gaps. This will prevent the caramel from leaking out during baking and create that perfect molten center.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough after adding the flour can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough cookies. Mix until just combined.
- Properly Softened Butter: Using butter that is too cold will make it hard to cream, and butter that is too warm or melted can lead to greasy cookies that spread too much.
- Caramel Size: Make sure your caramel pieces or candies are not too large, or they might overwhelm the cookie or cause excessive leakage. About a teaspoon-sized piece of caramel is usually perfect.
- Cooling is Key: Allowing the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking helps them set up. Then, transferring them to a wire rack ensures even cooling and prevents soggy bottoms.
FAQs
- Can I use regular salt instead of flaky sea salt? While flaky sea salt provides a wonderful texture and a bright salty pop, you can use fine sea salt or kosher salt. Just be a little more judicious with the amount, as it’s not as coarse.
- My caramel leaked out, what did I do wrong? This usually happens if the dough doesn’t fully enclose the caramel or if the caramel pieces are too large. Ensure you press the dough firmly around the caramel and don’t overbake the cookies.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring it closer to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before shaping if it becomes too firm to handle easily.
Serving Suggestions
These Miso Caramel Cookies are wonderful on their own, but they also pair beautifully with a tall glass of cold milk. They make a fantastic addition to any cookie platter or dessert table, offering a unique flavor profile that guests will adore. For a more indulgent treat, serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Make This Recipe in Advance
The cookie dough can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Once baked, the cookies are best enjoyed within 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They also freeze beautifully, either as baked cookies or as unbaked dough balls. To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a warm oven for a few minutes for that fresh-baked taste.
Print
Miso Caramel Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes chilling)
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
Description
Experience a cookie that’s both familiar and wonderfully surprising! These Miso Caramel Cookies offer a delightful balance of sweet and savory, with a chewy texture that’s simply irresistible. The subtle umami notes from the miso paste elevate the classic caramel flavor into something truly special, making these your new go-to treat.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp white miso paste
1 large egg
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
Soft caramel candies (for stuffing or drizzling)
Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Cream together the softened butter, sugars, and miso paste until smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla, then gradually incorporate the dry ingredients to create a soft dough.
Chill the dough for one hour.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Scoop rounded portions of the chilled dough (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons each). Flatten each portion in your palm, place a soft caramel candy in the center, and then carefully enclose the caramel with the dough, shaping it into a smooth ball. Ensure the caramel is completely sealed within the dough.
Place the cookie balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly soft.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they are still warm, generously sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough after adding the flour can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough cookies. Mix until just combined.
Properly Softened Butter: Using butter that is too cold will make it hard to cream, and butter that is too warm or melted can lead to greasy cookies that spread too much.
Caramel Size: Make sure your caramel pieces or candies are not too large, or they might overwhelm the cookie or cause excessive leakage. About a teaspoon-sized piece of caramel is usually perfect.
Cooling is Key: Allowing the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes after baking helps them set up. Then, transferring them to a wire rack ensures even cooling and prevents soggy bottoms.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: N/A
- Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: N/A
- Protein: N/A
