Caramel Macchiato Cookies

If you love the flavour of a caramel macchiato from your favourite café, these Caramel Macchiato Cookies turn that drink into a cookie. With espresso-flavoured cookie dough, a caramel drizzle (or caramel-filled centre) and a hint of chocolate, these cookies are bold, sweet and irresistibly comforting.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Coffee espresso flavour woven into the cookie dough for that macchiato kick.
• Caramel drizzle (or caramel-stuffed centre) delivers gooey richness.
• Chocolate chips or chunks add texture and extra flavour contrast.
• Makes cookie time feel elevated—perfect for special treats, coffee-themed gatherings or gifting.
• Easy enough for everyday baking but impressive enough for dessert tables.

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Recipe Details

• Prep Time: ~20–30 minutes
• Bake Time: ~10–12 minutes per batch
• Total Time: ~≈40 minutes (active)
• Yield: ~24 large cookies (depending on size)
• Category: Dessert / Snack
• Method: Oven-baked
• Cuisine: American / Café-inspired
• Diet: Vegetarian (contains dairy, eggs)
• Keywords: caramel macchiato cookies, espresso cookies, caramel cookies

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ tablespoons instant espresso powder (or adjust to taste)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or bittersweet)

For the Rolling/Finishing (Optional)

• ⅛ cup white sugar + ⅛ cup light brown sugar (for rolling dough balls)
• Caramel squares or caramel bits (to melt/drizzle)
• Heavy cream (for caramel drizzle)

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat & Prep

• Pre-heat your oven to 350 °F (≈ 175 °C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.

2. Make the Cookie Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (~5 minutes).
• Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just incorporated.
• Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.

3. Shape & Roll

• In a small bowl, mix the white sugar and brown sugar for rolling.
• Scoop out ~3 tablespoons of dough per cookie (or adjust size as preferred). Roll each dough ball in the sugar mixture.
• Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

4. Bake

• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 11 minutes, or until the cookie bottoms are golden brown and the centres look slightly soft.
• Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for ~2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Add the Caramel Drizzle

• Once cookies are cooled to room temperature, prepare the caramel drizzle: in a microwave-safe bowl, combine unwrapped caramel squares and heavy cream; heat in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
• Using a spoon, drizzle caramel sauce over each cookie. The sauce will harden slightly as it cools.
• (Optional: If you prefer stuffed cookies, you can insert a caramel square into the centre of each dough ball before baking.)

6. Serve & Enjoy

• Arrange cookies on a platter or store in an airtight container. Serve with coffee, tea or as a luxe snack any time.

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You Must Know

• The espresso powder gives the macchiato flavour—adjust quantity based on how strong you want the coffee taste.
• Rolling the dough in sugar helps create a crisp outer texture and sparkle.
• Slight under-baking helps keep the centres soft and chewy rather than dry.
• Let the cookies cool properly before drizzling caramel; warm cookies may cause the caramel to run off completely.
• Storage in an airtight container helps maintain texture; caramel may soften over time, so serve soon if you like the crisp caramel top.

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Storage Tips

• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• You can freeze un-drizzled cookies or dough balls for up to ~3 months—thaw or bake as needed.
• If caramel drizzle gets too soft during storage, chill cookies for a short while before serving.

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Ingredient Substitutions

• Use dark brown sugar instead of light brown for richer caramel flavour.
• Use shortbread or butter cookies crushed into dough for a different texture.
• Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate chunks or toffee bits for variation.
• For nut-allergy friendly: ensure caramel bits and chocolate chips are nut-free.
• For a stronger coffee flavour: increase espresso powder by ½ tablespoon and reduce sugar slightly to balance bitterness.

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Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a small cup of freshly brewed espresso or a caramel macchiato drink to echo the flavour theme.
• Arrange cookies on a dessert tray with mini latte cups or caramel sauce dips for guests.
• Package a few cookies in clear cellophane with ribbon for decorative homemade gifts.
• Pair with vanilla ice cream or coffee ice cream for a decadently themed dessert.

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Pro Tips

• Use a cookie scoop for consistent size and nearly identical bake time.
• If dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for 10 minutes before forming balls.
• Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent cookies from sticking or spreading too much.
• To get neat edges and uniform cookies: after removing from oven, gently press the top of each cookie with a round cookie cutter or glass rim while still warm (optional).
• Clean your knife or spoon when slicing through cookies with drizzle to maintain presentation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I skip the chocolate chips?
Yes. The cookies will still have the caramel-macchiato flavour, though chocolate adds texture and contrast.
→ Why didn’t my cookies taste strongly of coffee?
Either the espresso powder quantity was too low, or the flavor got masked by other ingredients. Next time increase the espresso or reduce overpowering mix-ins.
→ Are these suitable for a café style cookie?
Absolutely — the flavor profile is directly inspired by a coffee-based drink; pair them with a café beverage for full effect.
→ Can I make smaller cookies?
Yes — simply use a smaller scoop (e.g., 1½ Tbsp) and reduce bake time by ~1–2 minutes, monitoring for doneness.

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✨ These Caramel Macchiato Cookies combine bold coffee notes, caramel richness and cookie comfort in one bite. Perfect for gatherings, gifting or when you want your cookie game to feel elevated.

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