Valentine's Day caramel chocolate chip cookie recipe

​   I have tried many recipes and these are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. You can use our delicious caramels for the recipe or replace with another soft and chewy caramel. The caramel heart is a nice touch for a special occasion but you can also simply make the cookie without. Please let us know what you think!

4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar 1 ¼ + ¼ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Soft caramel
Coarse sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

​Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside,

Combine butter, sugar and 1 ¼ cups brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar.

Roll dough into 2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake approximately 10 minutes and remove from oven.

While your cookies are baking roll your caramel pieces on a flour covered counter into a nice thin sheet. Cut into desired shapes and set aside.

Place your heart shaped caramel cut-outs onto the top of your warm cookies and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until caramel is slightly melted. Remove cookies to cooling rack.