Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cookies

Two of my favorite fall flavors are pumpkin and salted caramel, so why not combine them to create one delicious dessert? These pumpkin cookies with a caramel swirl are sprinkled with sea salt to create a sweet and salty treat. Fall has never tasted so good!

It took me a few batches to figure out the correct baking time. I’m all for under-baked cookies, but it is important with this recipe to bake them long enough. If they aren’t baked all of the way, they become flat and gooey. The longer they bake, the fluffier they are. Unfortunately there is a fine line between burnt and perfectly baked. My advice is to start with a small batch since temps/ovens can vary to see what works best for you.

Honestly, even if they don’t look perfect, they will taste great! How can you resist this gooey caramel?! I can’t.

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking soda
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup ducle de leche or preferred caramel
sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed, until combined (about 1 minute). Add egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add pumpkin and vanilla, stir on medium speed until combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl to create an even batter. Gently fold in the caramel.
Scoop spoonful (about 1 Tbsp.) of dough onto prepared baking sheets, then sprinkle with sea salt. The cookies will spread, so make sure you leave about 2 inches between dollops of dough. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10-13 minutes, until fluffy and edges are set. Let cool on baking sheet. Or eat some while they are hot :)