I recently spotted dark chocolate M&M cookies on my friend Becky’s blog and decided to adapt that cookie base into my own creation. The deep chocolate color is stunning, and the flavor is rich and satisfying.
I’m a big fan of sweet-and-salty combos — they’re the perfect balance for my palate. When I snack on something salty like chips, I often crave something sweet to round it out. Combining salty and sweet in a single treat is one of my favorite indulgences.
In the past I’ve paired sweets with pretzels in several recipes, but this time I wanted to showcase one of my favorite salted nuts: cashews. Their buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture is perfect with dark chocolate and caramel.
If you haven’t tried baking with caramel bits, they’re a fun, mess-free way to get pockets of chewy caramel in cookies. Paired with dark cocoa and crunchy cashews, they make these cookies truly irresistible.
These dark chocolate caramel cashew cookies have a crisp exterior, a tender interior studded with chewy caramel, and nutty cashew pieces throughout. They’re elegant to look at and satisfying to eat — a great treat for sharing or keeping all to yourself.
Dark Chocolate Caramel Cashew Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- 1 cup (80 g) Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 11 oz (311 g) bag caramel bits
- 1 cup (140 g) cashew pieces or halves
Instructions
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the granulated and brown sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
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Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
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Fold in the caramel bits and cashew pieces. Reserve a few caramel bits and cashew pieces to press on top of each cookie dough ball before baking, if you like.
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Use a #50 cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) to portion dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Press reserved cashew pieces and caramel bits onto the tops, if desired.
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Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9–10 minutes. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
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