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Brown Butter Sourdough Salted Caramel Cookies

Thick and chewy brown butter sourdough cookies topped with homemade salted caramel and flaky sea salt. The cookie dough can be kept in the freezer so you can bake just a few at a time and add fresh caramel whenever the craving hits.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Resting Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 29 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 340 g unsalted butter
  • 400 g brown sugar
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 120 g sourdough discard
  • 1 Tbsp milk
  • 360 g fresh-milled hard white wheat flour
  • 120 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp salt
For the salted caramel
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 85 g butter room temperature and cut into pieces
  • 120 g heavy cream warmed
  • ½ –1 tsp flaky sea salt to taste
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract optional
  • Additional flaky sea salt for topping

Method
 

  1. Brown the butter. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until lukewarm.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  3. Add the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, sourdough discard, and milk. Mix until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the fresh-milled hard white wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
  6. Allow the dough to rest for 30–45 minutes so the fresh-milled flour has time to fully hydrate.
  7. Scoop the cookie dough and shape each portion into a thick, tall ball. Don't flatten them.
  8. Arrange the cookie dough on a parchment-lined tray and freeze for 1–2 hours, or until firm.
  9. Preheat the oven to 365–370°F. Bake the cookies straight from frozen for 14–16 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still slightly soft.
  10. When the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a spoon to gently deepen the natural dimple in the center of each cookie if needed. Don't press all the way through.
  11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes while you prepare the caramel.
  12. Make the salted caramel. Add the sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt, stirring or swirling as needed, until completely melted and a deep amber color.
  13. Carefully add the room-temperature butter and whisk until incorporated. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
  14. Slowly pour in the warm heavy cream, whisking until the caramel is smooth.
  15. Remove from the heat and stir in the flaky salt and vanilla, if using.
  16. Allow the caramel to cool until it has thickened enough that it won't immediately run off the cookies.
  17. Spoon or pipe a small amount of salted caramel into the center of each cookie.
  18. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and allow the caramel to set before serving.

Notes

Fresh-milled flour: The 360 g fresh-milled hard white wheat flour can be replaced with all-purpose flour. If you're not using fresh-milled flour, use 480 g all-purpose flour total.
Don't skip the rest with fresh-milled flour: The 30–45 minute rest gives freshly milled flour time to hydrate and helps give the cookies their thick, chewy texture.
Keep them in the freezer: These are perfect for keeping on hand when you only want a few fresh cookies. Once the shaped dough is frozen solid, transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake however many you want straight from frozen.
The caramel: Let the caramel cool and thicken before adding it to the cookies. You want it thick enough to settle into those little cookie dimples instead of running everywhere.
The hack: For perfectly round, bakery style cookies, I use cookie rings. Butter the rings and then place the frozen cookie mound inside.
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