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Thick Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies with cream cheese frosting and a 30-minute chilled dough texture.

Bakery-style Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies

Rebecca Blumer
These gourmet cookies feature a nutty brown butter base, velvety graham cracker crumbs, and a tangy cream cheese frosting swirl topped with decadent salted caramel and sea salt flakes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 385 kcal

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Baking Sheets
  • Baking parchment
  • 3-tablespoon cookie scoop
  • Electric Mixer
  • Piping bag

Ingredients
 

Cookie Base:

  • 113.5 g Salted butter
  • 165 g Brown sugar
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp Baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp Baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.25 tsp Cinnamon
  • 140 g All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Graham cracker sheets crushed

Frosting and Toppings:

  • 113.4 g Cream cheese Philadelphia style recommended
  • 3 tbsp Salted butter
  • 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 180 g Powdered sugar
  • Caramel sauce room temperature
  • Flaked salt for garnish

Instructions
 

Brown butter, then set yourself up for success

  • Add 113.5g salted butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then continue cooking until it foams, crackles, and turns golden brown with a nutty hazelnut aroma. Immediately pour into a bowl to prevent the milk solids from burning.
  • Allow the brown butter to cool completely until it reaches room temperature. It should be liquid but not hot before you begin mixing.

Mix the dough, then chill

  • Preheat your oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with baking parchment to prevent over-browning and sticking.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the cooled brown butter and brown sugar until glossy. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until the batter becomes lighter in color and creamy.
  • Slowly fold in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flour, and crushed graham cracker crumbs. Mix gently just until no dry pockets of flour remain.
  • Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is essential to deepen the flavor and ensure the cookies bake up thick and chewy.

Scoop, bake, cool, then finish with the signature swirl

  • Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. Roll and flatten each ball slightly, placing 5 to 6 on each baking sheet to allow for spreading.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden and set, but the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
  • While cookies cool, beat the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of salted butter until fluffy. Mix in vanilla bean paste and a pinch of salt, then add powdered sugar and beat until it holds soft peaks.
  • Pipe a spiral swirl of frosting onto each cold cookie. Drizzle with room-temperature caramel sauce and finish with a sprinkle of flaked salt.

Notes

Storage Tip: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep the topping thick and safe.
Pro Tip: Always weigh your flour for the most accurate results. 140g is the sweet spot for a plush texture without the cookies becoming dry.
Safety Tip: Ensure your caramel sauce is at room temperature before drizzling. If it is warm, it will melt the frosting and cause the swirl to slide off the cookie.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 280mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 420IUCalcium: 35mgIron: 1.2mg
Keyword brown butter cookies, Crumbl Copycat, Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
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