These cookies taste like sticky toffee pudding in cookie form. Brown butter adds nuttiness, dates make them chewy, and salted caramel creates gooey pockets throughout. They’re soft, rich, and impossible to stop eating.
Table of Contents
What You Need
Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
- 3/4 cup butter (browned)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
- 1 cup medjool dates (chopped)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
- Flaky sea salt for topping
How to Make Them
Step 1: Brown your butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until it smells nutty and turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Chop your dates into small pieces. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Step 3: Beat the cooled brown butter with both sugars until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
Step 4: Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in dates and chocolate chips.
Step 5: Scoop dough onto baking sheets. Make a small indent in each cookie and add a teaspoon of salted caramel.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. They’ll look underdone but will firm up as they cool. Sprinkle with sea salt right away.
Why Brown Butter Changes Everything
Brown butter isn’t regular melted butter. When you heat butter past its melting point, the milk solids toast and create this deep, nutty flavor that tastes almost like toffee itself.
The process only takes a few minutes but adds so much depth to these cookies. You’ll smell it the moment it’s ready.
Make sure to let it cool before mixing with your sugar. Hot butter will melt the sugar and change your cookie texture completely.
The Secret Is in the Dates
Medjool dates are what make these cookies taste like actual sticky toffee pudding. They’re naturally sweet and create chewy caramel-like bits throughout each cookie.
Remove the pits and chop them small so they distribute evenly. If your dates are dry, soak them in warm water for 5 minutes first.
The dates also keep these cookies soft for days. They add moisture without making the dough wet or heavy.
Getting the Salted Caramel Just Right
The caramel center is what makes people obsessed with these cookies. Use thick salted caramel sauce, not the thin kind.
Press a small indent into each dough ball before adding the caramel. This stops it from spreading everywhere during baking.
The caramel will bubble and create these crispy edges while staying gooey in the middle. Don’t skip the flaky salt on top either.
For Extra Gooey Centers
Add more caramel than you think you need. A full teaspoon per cookie creates the best molten center.
Slightly underbake them so the caramel stays liquid. They should look barely set when you pull them out.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them. This lets the caramel set just enough to not fall apart.
Dark Chocolate vs Milk Chocolate
Dark chocolate balances the sweetness from the dates and caramel. The slight bitterness cuts through all that sugar perfectly.
Milk chocolate works too if you want something sweeter. You could also use chopped chocolate bars instead of chips for bigger melty pools.
Semi-sweet chocolate is the middle ground. It gives you richness without being too intense.
Storage Tips That Actually Work
These cookies stay soft for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Layer them between parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
The caramel centers might firm up a bit after a day. Just microwave individual cookies for 8 seconds to make them gooey again.
You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Scoop it onto a baking sheet, freeze solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes.
Reheating for Best Results
Warm them in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes. This makes the caramel melt again and the cookies taste fresh-baked.
Microwave works in a pinch but can make them slightly tough. Stick to 10-second bursts.
Never reheat more than you’ll eat right away. They’re best enjoyed warm but lose texture if heated multiple times.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t overbake these. They should look underdone when you take them out. The centers will set as they cool but stay chewy.
Make sure your brown butter is actually cooled before adding it to the sugar. Warm butter creates thin, crispy cookies instead of thick chewy ones.
Chop your dates small enough. Big chunks can create air pockets and make cookies spread unevenly.
When They Spread Too Much
Your butter was probably too warm. It should be liquid but cool to the touch.
Try chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking. This gives the flour time to absorb moisture and stops excessive spreading.
Using too much caramel can also cause spreading. Stick to about a teaspoon per cookie.
When They Turn Out Cakey
You likely overmixed the dough after adding flour. Mix just until you don’t see dry flour anymore.
Overbaking also dries them out and makes them cake-like. Pull them when the edges are set but centers still look soft.
Too much flour happens if you scoop it instead of spooning it into your measuring cup. Always fluff and spoon flour for accurate measurements.
Ways to Switch Them Up
Add chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch. Toast them first for deeper flavor.
Swap half the dark chocolate for white chocolate. The contrast with the dates and caramel is incredible.
Drizzle extra caramel sauce over the cooled cookies. It looks impressive and adds more of that sticky toffee vibe.
For a Bourbon Twist
Add 1 tablespoon of bourbon to your wet ingredients. It enhances the toffee flavor without making them taste boozy.
The alcohol bakes off but leaves behind warmth that pairs beautifully with brown butter and dates.
This works with dark rum too. Both give that classic sticky toffee pudding feel.
Making Them Gluten-Free
Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur both work well.
Add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t include it. This helps bind everything together.
They’ll be slightly more delicate but taste just as good. Handle the dough gently and chill it before baking.
FAQ
Can I make these without dates? You can, but they won’t taste like sticky toffee pudding anymore. Try dried figs or prunes as substitutes. They give similar chewy texture and natural sweetness.
How do I know when the butter is properly browned? It should smell nutty and toasted, not burnt. The color will be deep golden amber with brown specks at the bottom. It takes 4-6 minutes over medium heat.
Can I use store-bought caramel sauce? Yes, thick caramel sauce from a jar works great. Avoid the thin ice cream topping kind because it makes cookies too wet.
Why are my cookies flat? Your brown butter was too hot when mixed with sugar. Let it cool to room temperature next time. Also chill your dough for 20-30 minutes before baking.
Can I double the recipe? Absolutely. Just brown the butter in batches because too much in one pan won’t brown evenly. Everything else doubles perfectly.
