Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Cookies {bake a difference}

I wanted dessert.  I looked in my cupboard and I saw caramel squares.  I thought to myself, what goes with caramel?  Obviously dark chocolate.  Add a pinch of salt, and...boom.  Salted caramel & dark chocolate cookies.  I'm not the first person to think of this - but I'm really happy that someone did because these are delicious.

Warning: these disappear fast after making them.  Bake at your own risk. 

I'd also like to take time to highlight that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and I was able to participate in "Bake a Difference" with OXO benefiting Cookies for Kids' Cancer!  OXO sent me some amazing baking supplies to help me bake for the cause.  This blog post is dedicated to this campaign and OXO is kindly donating $100 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer for my post!  Thank you OXO!

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup caramel squares, chopped into pieces
Sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with a parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda and sea salt together. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips and caramel pieces. Form cookie dough into tablespoon balls and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt.

5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Recipe adapted from two peas & their pod