Gluten Free Brown Butter Salted Caramel Cookies

If you’ve been looking for a cookie recipe that feels a little fancy but is still totally doable at home, this is the one. These gluten free brown butter salted caramel cookies are special without being complicated.

Browning the butter is what sets these apart from regular cookies. It gives them a warm, nutty flavor that pairs so well with the caramel and sea salt.

And yes, they are 100% gluten free. I use a gluten free all-purpose flour blend and the texture comes out soft, chewy, and exactly how a good cookie should be.

There’s a caramel candy tucked inside each one, so every bite has a gooey surprise in the middle. Trust me, they disappear fast.

A little flaky sea salt on top right out of the oven ties everything together. Sweet, salty, buttery – these cookies really have it all.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Brown Butter Makes All the Difference – Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty, almost toffee-like flavor to the dough that regular melted butter just can’t compete with, and it pairs insanely well with the caramel and dark brown sugar.

Gooey Caramel Surprise Inside – Every single cookie has a soft caramel candy hidden in the center that melts into a warm, stretchy, gooey pocket when you bite into it, which takes these from great cookies to absolutely crave-worthy cookies.

Sweet and Salty Combo That Hits Perfectly – The flaky sea salt on top isn’t just for looks, it cuts through the sweetness of the caramel and brown sugar in a way that makes you immediately reach for another cookie.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter
• 2 1/4 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 12 Soft Caramel Candies, unwrapped
• Flaky Sea Salt, for topping

How to Make

Step 1

Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as it melts, foams, and begins to turn golden with brown specks on the bottom. Once it smells nutty and is amber in color, about 5 to 7 minutes, immediately pour it into a large heatproof bowl. Let it cool for 15 minutes.

Step 2

While the butter cools, whisk together gluten free all-purpose flour blend, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 3

Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled brown butter and whisk vigorously until smooth and combined. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is thick and glossy.

Step 4

Add the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until a thick dough forms with no dry streaks remaining. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.

Step 5

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten it slightly, press one caramel candy into the center, and wrap the dough around it to seal completely. Roll into a ball and place seam-side down on the baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.

Step 6

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until the edges are golden but the centers are still puffy and soft. Immediately sprinkle flaky sea salt over each cookie.

Step 7

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The caramel center will be perfectly gooey when served slightly warm.

My Tips

Watch the Butter Closely

Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt in seconds, so use a light-colored pan. A dark pan makes it impossible to see the color change, and you’ll end up with bitter, burnt butter before you even realize it.

Keep stirring the whole time and look for golden-brown specks settling on the bottom. The moment it smells nutty and looks amber, pull it off the heat and pour it into your bowl right away. Even a few extra seconds in the hot pan can push it too far.

If it looks dark brown or smells harsh instead of nutty, start over. Burnt brown butter will ruin the flavor of the entire batch.

Don’t Skip Chilling the Dough

One hour in the fridge is the minimum here, but two hours is even better. The dough needs to firm up so you can actually wrap it around the caramel candies without it sticking to your hands and falling apart.

Chilling also keeps the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven. With gluten free flour, the dough doesn’t have gluten to hold its structure, so the cold temperature is doing that job instead.

If your kitchen is warm and the dough starts getting soft while you’re scooping and filling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.

Seal the Caramel Completely

This is the step that makes or breaks these cookies. If there’s even a small gap in the dough around the caramel, it will leak out all over your baking sheet and you’ll lose that gooey center.

Flatten the dough in your palm, press the caramel into the middle, then pull the edges up and over it like you’re wrapping a little package. Pinch any seams shut and roll it between your hands until it’s a smooth ball with no cracks.

Place them seam-side down on the baking sheet so the weight of the cookie keeps everything sealed while it bakes.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
• Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies
• Gluten Free Caramel Apple Skillet Cookie
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Gluten Free Salted Caramel Brownies

FAQ

Why do I need to brown the butter, and how do I know when it’s done?

Browning the butter gives these cookies a deep, nutty, almost toffee-like flavor that regular melted butter just can’t deliver. It makes a huge difference in how rich and complex the cookies taste, especially paired with the caramel center.

You’ll know it’s done when the butter turns a golden amber color and you can see little brown specks at the bottom of the pan. It will also smell warm and nutty. Use a light-colored pan so you can actually see the color change – in a dark pan it’s easy to accidentally burn it.