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Simple Vanilla Caramel Cookies

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Simple Vanilla Caramel Cookies are easy to make, and filled with aromatic vanilla and sweet caramel, this recipe makes a wonderful tasting treat.

Vanilla caramel cookies with caramel cubes on white plate with more cookies on baking sheet and glass of milk in background on wood table.

Baking at home brings back so many memories for me. The smell of cookies, the racks of baked goods on the table, and sharing with friends/family/neighbors.

In New Zealand (where I’m from in case you didn’t know), these are known as “Hokey Pokey Biscuits”. Hokey Pokey is a New Zealand term for honeycomb toffee. It generally refers to an amazing ice-cream flavor (vanilla with toffee bits), but is also a treat on its own.

The smell alone makes small boys lose their minds, making them unable to resist grabbing a couple of cookies before their poor mother has had a chance to photograph them they are cooled!

Children's hands taking vanilla caramel cookies of cooling rack on wood table.

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These cookies don’t require a stand mixer or fancy gadgets, which, obviously is awesome.- we make the toffee/caramel, then mix flour and baking soda into it, scoop, flatten and bake.Vanilla caramel cookies and caramel cubes on white plate with more cookies on cooling rack and glass of milk in background on wood table.

How to make Simple Vanilla Caramel Cookies:

(full printable recipe below)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Combine the butter, cream, white and brown sugars, and vanilla in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat.
  3. Cook, stirring constantly until it begins to bubble.
  4. Allow to cook only about 30 seconds more, then remove from heat and allow to cool to a warm temp.
  5. Sift the flour and baking soda together, add to the cooled caramel mixture and stir well.
  6. Scoop mixture into balls, place on a line baking sheet, and press down with a floured glass, or a fork (or your thumb!).
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes until easily removed.
  9. Cool on a wire rack.
  10. Devour. 

 

Closeup of vanilla caramel cookies and caramel cubes on white plate with cookies on cooling rack and glass of milk in background on wood table.

Kylee’s Hot Tips for Simple Vanilla Caramel Cookies:

There’s a tricky part, only in that you can’t let the mixed dough cool too much, or it becomes crumbly and un-scoopable. You need to work fast so that it’s still pliable, and able to be scooped onto cookie sheets.

If the entire recipe doesn’t fit on on cookie sheet for you, I recommend grabbing another one and scooping and flattening right away, and baking together. If you only have one rack in your oven – don’t worry, just switch the sheets out one after the other. The point is – scoop and flatten the entire bowl! I forgot about that… and baked one sheet, leaving some dough left in my mixer.

When the first sheet was done, I tried to then work with my remaining dough. No go!! It had basically set, and was useless (except, I just used it as a crumbly topping for some baked apples – so, happy accident, but still less cookies).

Want more easy cookie recipes? Of course you do!

 

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Simple Vanilla Caramel Cookies

Simple Vanilla Caramel Cookies are easy to make, and filled with aromatic vanilla and sweet caramel, this recipe makes a wonderful tasting treat.
4.77 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cookie, Dessert
Cuisine: American, New Zealand
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Kylee Cooks

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Combine the butter, cream, white and brown sugars, and vanilla in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat.
  • Cook, stirring constantly until it begins to bubble.
  • Allow to cook only about 30 seconds more, then remove from heat and allow to cool to a warm temp.
  • Sift the flour and baking soda together, add to the cooled caramel mixture and stir well.
  • Scoop mixture into balls, place on a line baking sheet, and press down with a floured glass, or a fork (or your thumb!).
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes until easily removed.
  • Cool on a wire rack.
  • Devour.

Notes

Don't let the mixed dough cool too much, or it becomes crumbly and un-scoopable. You need to work fast so that it's still pliable, and able to be scooped onto cookie sheets.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 16mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5.7% | Calcium: 0.5% | Iron: 4%
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    • Collage of vanilla caramel cookies and caramel cubes on white plate with cookies on cooling rack and glass of milk in background on wood table at top and hand taking a stack of cookies off cooling rack at bottom.

     

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    9. Cookies… simple jet so delicious kids treat. Vanilla and caramel flavor are such an amazing combo. I love it! I kinda understand why these disappears from your plate quickly 😉 Just yummy!

      Reply

    11. These look like the perfect cookie to dunk into a glass of milk. Better yet…I would totally enjoy this with my afternoon latte. Great as a simple and delicious dessert…especially if you make them into ice cream sandwich cookies.

      Reply

    13. I’ll admit, fresh cookies have my heart. These sound amazing. When I first saw them I thought they were peanut butter cookies. But the toffee flavor sounds so good. I think I’d be like those little cookie snatchers and grab one. That’s the beauty of cookies, you don’t have to cut or scoop anything. And if you’re really sneaky, you won’t leave evidence. My grandsons would love these.

      Reply

    14. These are delicious cookies, you got me with simple vanilla caramel my kids like these kind of cookies. I know vanilla caramel are best combo as I eaten in ice cream, sure cookies are better than that.

      Reply

    17. I thought these were peanut butter cookies at first but I love the sound of vanilla and caramel cookies! I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like that and they sound delicious!

      Reply

    18. Those look heavenly! I’ll have to make them since they seem super easy and don’t require any out of the ordinary ingredients! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

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