The secret to this recipe is freezing the balls of dough for just 15 minutes before baking. That way, the centers cook more slowly, and you achieve that blissful balance of melted, gooey interiors and crispy edges. Share this jumbo-size treat with someone lucky, or enjoy it solo and wait for the gold rush.
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 12
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1.5cm pieces
340g semisweet chocolate chips (1 whole bag)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
24 caramels, such as Kraft, halved
Heat oven to 190 degrees, with racks in top and middle. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter; beat on medium speed until combined but some pea-size butter chunks remain. Add chocolate chips and beat until combined, then beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Scoop dough into 120ml balls (each about 1/3 cup); make a deep, wide hollow in each centre. Enclose 3 pieces of caramel in each; roll back into a ball. Place 6 balls on each sheet. Freeze 15 minutes.
Bake, with one sheet on each rack, 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 170 degrees, swap sheet positions, and bake until centres are almost but not completely set (press gently on tops with your fingers to check), 7 to 10 minutes more. Remove from oven. Bang sheets on a counter a few times to create cracks in tops of cookies.
Place sheets on a wire rack; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.