Description
These Sea Salted Millionaire’s Cookie Cups combine chewy chocolate chip cookie bases with gooey salted caramel and a silky milk chocolate topping. Finished with a sprinkle of sea salt, they offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty indulgence. They look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make, ideal for parties, gifts, or a show-stopping sweet treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 275g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 115g unsalted butter
- 135g light brown soft sugar
- 55g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200g milk chocolate chips
- 60g unsalted butter (for caramel)
- 140g granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 80ml double cream
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tsp Yorkshire sea salt
- 130g milk chocolate (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cornflour, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, cream the butter with both sugars until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the milk chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into the muffin tin cavities and press each portion gently to form a cup shape.
- Bake the cookie cups for 10–12 minutes, just until golden around the edges.
- While still warm, use the back of a spoon to press down the centers to create deeper wells for the filling.
- Let them cool completely in the tin before removing them.
- For the caramel, combine 140g granulated sugar and 3 tbsp water in a saucepan over medium heat, cooking without stirring until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep golden amber.
- Stir in 60g unsalted butter until melted, followed by the double cream—carefully, as it bubbles vigorously.
- Stir in the 2 tsp sea salt and mix until smooth and glossy, then let it cool slightly before filling.
- Spoon the warm caramel into the cooled cookie cups, filling each one almost to the top.
- Refrigerate the caramel-filled cookie cups until the caramel sets.
- Meanwhile, melt the 130g milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl, either in short microwave bursts or over a bain-marie.
- Once melted, spread a layer of chocolate over each caramel-filled cup and sprinkle a little extra sea salt on top.
- Chill them again until the chocolate is firm and glossy.
- Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- You can use dark chocolate instead of milk for a richer flavor, or white chocolate for a sweeter variation in these millionaire’s shortbread cookies.
- To prevent the caramel from burning, keep the heat medium and watch closely, removing it quickly once it turns golden.
- For a twist, add a layer of peanut butter or espresso powder to the cookie dough, or sprinkle crushed peppermint candies for the holidays.
- Make mini versions of these millionaire’s shortbread bars in a mini muffin tin and bake for about 8 minutes for bite-sized treats.
- Store the sea salted millionaire’s cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate if your kitchen is warm to keep the chocolate firm.
- These also freeze beautifully; thaw them in the fridge before serving.
- If using store-bought caramel, ensure it’s a thick variety suitable for filling.
- To make the caramel thicker, cook it a minute longer until it reaches a slightly deeper amber color before adding the cream.
- For a glossy chocolate top, let the melted chocolate cool slightly before spreading, then refrigerate just until set.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie cup
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg