Fudgy red velvet cookies are full of chocolate chips and gooey caramel! These caramel stuffed red velvet cookies are the perfect treat to make for Valentine’s Day!
There are only 5 days until Valentine‘s Day! Do you have fun plans? I’ve actually never really been that into Valentine’s Day – but I do like any excuse I can get to bake delicious and festive treats. There is just something about heart shaped sprinkles that makes any baked good taste better! Like Caramel Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies. Sure these fudgy chocolatey cookies stuffed with ooey gooey caramel and melty chocolate chips would taste amazing on their own – but the Valentine’s sprinkles just make them so darn cute!! So I guess I liked – I am into Valentine’s Day. 🙂
I was inspired to make these red velvet cookies by these beauties that I made last Valentine’s Day. They are one of the most popular recipes on my blog! So I decided to make a good thing even better and stuff the red velvet cookies full of caramel!! There is nothing better than biting into a warm cookie when the center is full of melty caramel. Heaven. Especially when said cookie is a red velvet chocolate chip cookie. Oh yes.
I used square caramel candies for the center of my caramel stuffed red velvet cookies. I cut them in half to spread out the caramel goodness a bit in the cookie. You could use rolo candies for a meltier caramel center – like I did in these cookies. Caramel candies harden when they cool whereas the Rolos stay slightly melty. Although I enjoy the harder texture of the caramel, you can always pop the cookies into the microwave for a few seconds to get that melty texture back.
To decorate these cookies, you need to roll the dough balls in sprinkles before baking them. Otherwise, they won’t stick! Make sure to get some sprinkles on the side of the dough balls too. If you want to add a little extra chocolate prettiness, press a few chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies right when they come out of the oven. That is one of my favorite tips for making cookies look amazing!
What are you baking for Valentine’s Day?
Fudgy red velvet cookies are full of chocolate chips and gooey caramel! These caramel stuffed red velvet cookies are the perfect treat to make for Valentine's Day!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2.5 teaspoons red food coloring (liquid or gel)
- 1 cup chocolate chips, (plus a few extra for after baking if desired)
- 18 caramel candies, cut in half (or 18 Rolo candies, whole)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown and white sugar and mix until well combined, scraping down sides as needed. Add the egg and beat until well combined, then beat in the vanilla. Mix in the food coloring.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough in 1.5 tablespoon mounds. Make an indent in each mound and add 2 caramel halves (totaling one candy) to the center of each dough ball. Form the dough around the caramel and roll dough into a ball. Make sure all the caramel is covered by cookie dough. Place 9 cookies on each cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. If desired, press decorative sprinkles into the tops and sides of the dough balls.
- Bake for 10 - 11 minutes. If the cookies don’t spread all the way, gently press on the warm cookies with the back of a spatula to slightly flatten. If desired, place a few chocolate chips on top of the warm cookies.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
More Valentine‘s Day Treats!
Chocolate Donuts with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Valentine’s Day Funfetti Pancakes with Vanilla Greek Yogurt Sauce
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I love the ones with the sprinkles in the shape of hearts!! So cute friend!
Everything is better stuffed with caramel! Beautiful cookies too! I don’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day, but I love any excuse to make delicious cookies!
These sound so yummy and I love the idea of the sprinkle heart!
Thanks, Kim! The sprinkle heart took some work but it was totally worth it. So festive!
Oh wow- these look amazing! That melty caramel inside the cookie is calling my name!
Just look at the gooey caramel! These cookies are perfection Cate. And I just love red velvet. Can’t wait to make these cookies!
what festive cookies!! 🙂
Let’s stuff everything with caramel from now on, OK? These look amazing and I want to just eat a dozen!!
I love these decadent cookies – can never go wrong with caramel and chocolate!
These sound so tasty! Cookies stuffed with carmel! How could you go wrong? 🙂
Oohh! How fun! They look nice and chocolatey too!
I am the same way…I love the baking and decorations and the idea of making dinner in more than the actual holiday! These look like the perfect way to celebrate!
These are so darn cute!!! Love it!
I’m totally with you when it comes to Valentine’s Day, EXCEPT when baked goods are involved…and these cookies are enough to make ANYONE fall in love with Valentine’s Day! Yum!
I’m dying over how delicious and decadent these look! Great tip re: pressing chocolate chips on top when the cookies come out of the oven. The melty chocolate looks amazing in these photos, that molten caramel middle is calling my name, and how darn cute are the sprinkles?! These are perfect for every day, never mind Valentines!