Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter Cookies with Gooey Caramel Centers taste like a cross between a snickerdoodle, a brown sugar butter cookie, and a molten caramel candy—all in one cozy bite. These cookies have a soft, tender, slightly chewy center, crisp edges, a cinnamon-sugar coating, and a hidden pocket of melted caramel that oozes when you break them open. They are made for fall and winter baking, holiday cookie trays, or any time a warm, bakery-style cookie sounds perfect.
These are not just “another cookie.” The dough is built on brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon for warmth and depth, then wrapped around a soft caramel candy to create that gooey center. A cinnamon-sugar coating on the outside caramelizes slightly in the oven for a faint crunch and extra flavor. Optional touches like espresso powder, flaky sea salt, or toasted nuts turn this recipe into something worthy of gifting and sharing.
Why you’ll love these cookies
These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter Cookies stand out because every element is working toward comfort: brown sugar for caramel notes and chew, cinnamon for warmth, butter for richness, and a molten caramel center for pure indulgence. The cookies bake up thick and soft, not flat and crispy, because the dough is balanced and the caramel is fully enclosed. Chilling isn’t required for the base recipe, but the dough is sturdy and easy to handle for stuffing and rolling.
The contrast of textures is what makes them memorable. The exterior has a light cinnamon-sugar crunch, the cookie crumb is soft and buttery, and the center is gooey when warm and fudgy-chewy once cooled. A tiny sprinkle of flaky salt on the warm tops creates a salted caramel moment that keeps the sweetness in check. They are impressive enough for a holiday platter but straightforward enough for a cozy weekend bake.
Ingredients and what they do
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