These Bourbon Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies is a classic oatmeal cookies loaded with chocolate chips and infused with bourbon whiskey and swirls of sweet, buttery caramel. They’re soft, chewy, and hearty with perfectly crisped edges.
Easy Oatmeal Cookies with Bourbon
I always have a hard time resisting any oatmeal cookies, but when I have a batch of these Bourbon Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies sitting around, I have pretty much no self-control.
This recipe is my very first version of my salted caramel oatmeal cookies. Since developing this recipe, I’ve used the same dough to create this butterscotch version (a house favorite) and I am also partial to this cashew cookie as well.
While I love any variation of this recipe, the original version always has my heart. These cookies are deliciously soft and chewy thanks to the oats. There’s no shortage of bourbon flavor here, they’re buttery, sweet, and salty. I couldn’t think of a better combination.
Plan ahead for this recipe, because the dough does need some time to chill in the refrigerator.
Ingredient Notes
- Kraft Baking Caramels – These are the only ones I’ve tested this with, but it’s equivalent to about 1 cup of the caramel bits.
- Unsalted Butter – this should be at room temperature
- Bourbon Whiskey – just use your favorite kind!
- Rolled Oats – also know as old-fashioned rolled oats are the way to go.
- Chocolate Chips– This is also delicious with butterscotch chips.
- Flakey Sea Salt – Don’t skip this garnish!
Can I Make These Without Bourbon?
You sure can, here’s the alcohol-free version of the salted caramel oatmeal cookies.
What Kind of Oats Are Best to Use for Oatmeal Cookies?
Definitely use old-fashioned rolled oats for this oatmeal cookie recipe. Quick oats or steel-cut oats have different textures, so they will not yield the same results.
How to Make Bourbon Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
- Make the caramel: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels, milk, and sea salt. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and cool completely.
- Combine the wet ingredients: Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy, then add in the eggs, vanilla, and bourbon.
- Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, little bits at a time, until a dough forms. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
- Mix in the caramel: Once the caramel is cooled, swirl it into the cookie dough. Beat until just combined.
- Portion and chill the dough: Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough out onto a sheet pan, sprinkle with some finishing salt and then place the cookie sheet into the fridge. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour or for up to 24 hours.
- Bake: Transfer the chilled dough balls onto a lined baking sheet, then bake in an oven preheated to 350ºF for 11-14 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
My Best Tips for Oatmeal Cookies
- Use old-fashioned oats.-fashioned rolled oats are what gives the cookies their thick, chewy, hearty texture.
- Chill the dough. The cooler dough results in thicker, fluffier cookies and prevents them from spreading too much as they bake. Chill it for at least 1 hour or for at least 24 hours before baking.
- Line the baking sheet. I recommend lining the baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. This makes it easier to remove the cookies from the pan and prevents the caramel from burning.
- Do not use warm cookie sheets: Prepare enough cookie sheets so that you are not putting the cold cookie dough on a warm cookie sheet.
Why Cookies Spread
Even if your cookies spread a little bit, I guarantee they still taste amazing.
To fix this: You can try and fix this right when you get them out of the oven, use a round cookie cutter, two spoons or the edge of a knife and press the edges of the dough back towards the center. This has to be done right when you take them out of the oven before the edges are too brown or set.
- The butter was too soft: It only needs about 20 minutes tops on the counter before it’s ready to go. Don’t let the butter get too soft or it can cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Incorrectly measured ingredients: Measuring the dry ingredients matters. If possible, use a kitchen scale to measure the flour and sugar.
- The caramel was too hot: If you add hot caramel to the cookie dough, it does melt or break down the dough a little bit and can lead to spreading.
Freezing Cookie Dough
To prep these cookies ahead of time, you can assemble the dough as directed, then store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze the cookie dough, portion it out onto a baking sheet and flash freeze it for 1 hour. Once it’s hardened, transfer the dough balls to a ziplock bag or airtight container and store in the freezer. Thaw these overnight in the refrigerator and bake as instructed.
How to Store Baked Cookies
Baked oatmeal cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy again, thaw on the counter or warm in the microwave until heated through. I have been known to eat these straight from the freezer.
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Outrageously Good Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- The Best Monster Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Bourbon Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
- Yield: 26 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Bourbon Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies are a made up of classic oatmeal cookies that are loaded with chocolate chips and infused with with bourbon whiskey and swirls of sweet, buttery caramel. They’re soft, chewy, and hearty with perfectly crisped edges.
Ingredients
- 20 Kraft caramel squares or appx 1 cup caramel bits
- 2 teaspoons (10g) salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) milk
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (220g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (143g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (7.5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) bourbon
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose Flour
- 2 ½ cups (250g) old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
- 1 bag (11oz) chocolate chips
- Flakey sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels and milk. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring each time. Caramel will be very hot and can burn easily. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. All the caramel to cool.
- Soften the butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Combine the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes.
- Next add the eggs, vanilla extract and bourbon and continue beating until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients (as well as the other tsp salt), slowly add the dry ingredients into the dough, mixing at low speed until the dough starts to form. Before the dough thickens, add the chocolate chips. Beat a couple of times until they start to incorporate.
- Once the caramel is cooled, add to cookie dough. Beat just until combined.
- Pre-scoop the dough using a large cookie scoop and place it on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 24 hours in advance. Remove each batch 10-15 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes. The center of the cookie should be slightly underbaked but not too gooey. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Baked oatmeal cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- I’ve updated the flour measurements after several comments about cookies spreading
- These are also very good with butterscotch chips
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 232
- Sugar: 18.8 g
- Sodium: 255.7 mg
- Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 33.6 mg
Mine taste really good but they look nothing like yours. I followed the directions to a tee, but the hot caramel melted most of the chocolate chips so they are chocolate more than anything. And they flattened more than I had hope. I did refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes. I will tweak it next time. I like the caramel-sea salt combo and want that flavor to really stand out.
Hi Teresa, sounds like the caramel wasn’t cool enough, and since that happened, you probably would have needed more time in the refrigerator. I am glad they tasted good!
Hi Jackie. I can’t find where to answer your reply so I’ll just send another comment. I did refrigerate the dough for the 30 minutes and kept the trays in the frig until I baked them. I also used parchment paper. I was thinking maybe adding some baking powder?
I’m making these today. They are very tasty, however, they are coming out very flat. ☹️ Don’t know if I did something wrong but I’m not very happy with them.
Hi Darla, are you baking them directly on a baking sheet or is in lined with something? How long did you refrigerate?
Have you tried these with homemade caramel sauce?
Hi Tiffany, I have not, but as long as it is a thick sauce, it might work.
Can these be made ahead and frozen. Thank you
Hi Linda, yes you can! However when you freeze them, I usually flash freeze them on a sheet pan before packaging. They must be in package in a single layer with a layer of parchment in between, otherwise the cookies will stick together due to the caramel.
Hi
What’s the equivalant to 11/2 oz of bourbon. How many teaspoons?
Hi Jackie, this would be 9 teaspoons or 3 tablespoons.
Dear Julianne, These cookies are right up my alley. These sound perfect to me. xo, Catherine
Made these today as a Father’s Day treat. He loved them, ok so did I. Big hit. Thank you.
Be still my heart! These cookies are phenom, babe! I love adding bourbon to things to jazz it up a notch. And getting drunk off of cookies is also my favorite pasttime. 🙂
HAAH! That’s why were such great friends. LOL
Whoa, everything that I love (salted caramel, bourbon and chocolate) in one delicious, chewy cookie?! These look amazing! Pinned.
Thanks so much Nancy! These are my favorite cookies!
These look amazing. My mouth is watering! I’d love it if you’d come link up at Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday!
Julia @ MiniVanDreams.com
Thanks Julie!
Oh boy! I just love salted caramel, so these cookies would be right up my alley! Yummy!
Thank you Jess!
I’m pretty sure my dad would love these cookies, but if I made them, I’m not sure there would be any cookies left over to give to him!
Those are exactly my thoughts!
How does the bourbon cook in these? Do you have to have it? I’m concerned about the effect it could have on pancreatitis, but it looks so good!
Hi Lily, sorry I cannot advise you on how it will effect your pancreatitis. Please consult a doctor. If you remove the bourbon, you may want to add 2-3 tsp of pure vanilla extract and this cookie needs additional moisture.
This sounds SO good! I love anything with salted caramel!
Thanks Terri!
Hi
Did you use fine or coarse sea salt in this recipe.
Hi Jackie, I used coarse. But I think you should still use fine if that is all you had.
Wow, these look incredible. All you have to say bourbon salted caramel and I’m hooked. I’ll take that entire stack!
HAAH! I would share with you 🙂
Oh my do these cookies look incredible!!
Oh they are my friend. They are. I will ship you some from my next batch!
I loved your comment about the caramel hardening. It is really reassuring, Last week I made cookies with caramel and they hardened. I thought it was just me! 🙂 But these cookies look delicious!!
This is the first time I have made a cookie where the caramel doesn’t get solid! I was so happy. I have also heard that you can try adding a couple teaspoons of milk to help keep it soft.
I love the bourbon! These look very tempting. I admire your restraint for shipping them off instead of eating them all!
And good for you, having a lazy Saturday. They’re a necessity sometimes.
Seriously, if I didn’t ship them, they would be gone for sure.