Description
Indulge in the perfect balance of sweet and salty with these salted caramel popcorn cookies. Featuring a nutty brown butter base, soft and chewy centers, crispy edges, and bursts of crunchy popcorn mixed with rich dark chocolate chunks, these cookies offer a delightful texture and flavor combination. Caramel shards crafted from homemade amber caramel add a luxurious, smoky sweetness that pairs beautifully with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter and Sugars
- 275g unsalted butter, straight from the fridge
- 200g granulated sugar (for the caramel)
- 210g dark brown sugar
- 100g granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 330g all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Add-ins
- 175g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 20g freshly popped popcorn
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and baking trays: Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C) and line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper to ensure cookies do not stick and for easy cleanup.
- Make the brown butter: Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt it completely, then continue cooking it while swirling the pan often until it foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a stand mixer bowl to cool slightly.
- Create the caramel shards: Heat 200g granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Initially, the sugar will clump but will melt into a smooth amber caramel that just begins to smoke slightly. Immediately pour the hot caramel onto a silicone mat placed on a heat-resistant surface or baking tray and leave to cool and harden.
- Combine sugars and brown butter: Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the brown butter, dark brown sugar, and 100g granulated sugar to the bowl. Mix on medium speed until combined and smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then add the vanilla bean paste or extract. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture lightens in color and thickens.
- Sift and mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. With the mixer off, add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until just incorporated, then finish mixing by hand if necessary, scraping down the sides and bottom to ensure even distribution.
- Prepare caramel chunks: Once the caramel sheet has hardened, carefully peel it off the silicone mat. Using a sharp knife, cut into ½” to ¾” chunks, and be cautious of sharp shards. Add the caramel chunks and coarsely chopped dark chocolate to the mixing bowl and mix briefly on low speed to combine.
- Add popcorn: Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer. Gently fold in the freshly popped popcorn by hand to preserve its crunch.
- Portion the dough: Using a 1/4 cup (#16) scoop, portion level scoops of dough onto the prepared baking trays, spacing about six cookies per tray. Roll each into a ball and set on the trays with plenty of room for spreading. Position them so sides with lots of chocolate and popcorn face upwards for an attractive bake.
- Bake the cookies: Bake one tray at a time in the preheated oven for 14-15 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and set around the edges. Start checking after 13 minutes. Keep in mind cookies will continue to bake slightly after removal from the oven.
- Shape and salt the cookies: If the cookies lose their perfect round shape during baking, gently use a slightly larger round cookie cutter to nudge each back into shape. Sprinkle coarse sea salt generously on top while still warm.
- Cool and store: Let cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Notes
- These salted caramel popcorn cookies feature a satisfying combination of soft, chewy centers and crisp edges with crunchy popcorn throughout.
- Freshly popped popcorn is recommended to maintain crunch, though butter-flavored microwave popcorn can be substituted for convenience.
- Exercise caution when cutting the caramel shards as the hardened caramel pieces and shards can be very sharp.
- For even distribution, gently fold popcorn by hand rather than mixing at high speed to avoid crushing the popcorn.
- Coarse sea salt sprinkled on top enhances the flavor by balancing the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate.
- Cookies keep well stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
