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Do you have a favorite classic movie theatre candy? There are so many good ones to choose from: Sugar Babies, Skittles, Mike and Ikes, Reese’s Pieces, M&Ms, Dots, Sour Patch Kids, Hot Tamales, Junior Mints. It’s hard to pick just one.
I think the best thing about movie snacks is eating the candies out of a cardboard box. (Which, apparently, is an intentional choice. It makes the candy easier to display at the concessions stand. Plus, boxes make less noise during the movie than a crinkly plastic bag.) For me, it’s a tie between Whoppers (a.k.a. Malteasers in the U.K.) and Milk Duds for best movie treat.
Milk Duds for the Win
Milk Duds are an American candy made by Hershey’s. They feature balls of chewy caramel enrobed in chocolate confectionery coating. You’ll recognize these treats by the bright orange-yellow box in which they’re packaged.
According to Wikipedia, Milk Duds have been around since the late 1920s. They earned the name “duds” because the creators had difficulty achieving a perfectly round ball of caramel. The brand was purchased by Hershey Foods in 1996. And in fact, Hershey’s still touts the fact that no piece of Milk Duds candy is ever perfectly round.
I probably love Milk Duds so much because of my love for all things chocolate and caramel. I’m a fan of Twix bars, Caramel Delites Girl Scout Cookies, Millionaire’s Shortbread, and Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Caramel (or the US equivalent, the Caramello Bar.) In my book, caramel and chocolate is always a win.
These bakery-style chocolate and caramel cookies are sure to be a hit with any fan of the classic chocolate and caramel combo. They feature a soft dark chocolate base, chunks of dark chocolate (or chocolate chips) and plenty of Milk Duds candies. The Milk Duds melt in the oven as the cookies bake, creating a soft, gooey, ultra-caramell-y treat.
Caramel Cookie Tips and Tricks
Chilling the dough is the key to producing a rich, chewy, bakery-style cookie. You can chill for as little as one hour, or as long as 24. Whatever you do, do not to skip this step!
I like to use a cookie scoop to make my balls of dough. If you don’t have an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, you can use your hands to roll the dough into balls.
Any kind of chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped dark chocolate will work in this recipe. Feel free to use semi sweet, milk, or dark chocolate, depending on your preference.
A Note on Candy Selection
Milk Duds are an American candy made by Hershey’s, and consist of chewy caramel spheres enrobed in a chocolate coating. In the US, Dollar Tree is a great place to find boxes of movie theatre candy.
In London, you’ll find Milk Duds in the American candy stores along Oxford Street (along with about a million other fun kinds of boxed movie theatre candies!) Tesco and Sainsbury’s sometimes carry them, too. And, they are readily available for purchase on Amazon.
If you can’t find Milk Duds, you can substitute another caramel candy instead. Make sure to choose a soft and chewy caramel, rather than a hard candy like Werther’s. If the caramels are large, use a well-oiled knife to chop them into bite-size pieces.
More bakery style cookie recipes you might enjoy:
Rainbow M&M Peanut Butter Cookies
Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
Lavender Latte Cookies|
Mint M&M Cookies
And if you make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Chocolate Caramel Cookies
- Total Time: About two hours, including chilling time
- Yield: 15 3 in / 8 cm round cookies 1x
Description
A dark chocolate base packed with chocolate chips and Milk Dud candies. A chewy, gooey, caramel-ly treat!
Ingredients
115 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
105 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
105 grams dark brown sugar (1/2 cup)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons strong black coffee*
128 grams all purpose flour (1 cup)
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
125 grams good-quality chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate chips (3/4 cup)
115 grams Milk Duds,** or other caramel candy (2/3 cup), plus more for tops of cookies
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, followed by the vanilla bean paste and the coffee.
In a separate bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mixture to the butter bowl, and mix on low speed until well-combined.
Stir in the chopped dark chocolate and the Milk Duds, reserving a few pieces of each to press into the tops of the cookies.
Cover dough with clingfilm/plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill, at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350° F / 175° C. Line two baking trays with silicone baking mats, and set aside until ready to use.
Remove cookie dough from refrigerator. Use a cookie scoop to scoop chilled dough into fifteen portions, rolling each into a ball.
Place dough balls on prepared trays, allowing a good amount of space in between. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball slightly, pressing a few additional Milk Duds into the top of each cookie.
Transfer trays to the freezer and freeze for 10 minutes.
Bake cookies in preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes. Do not overbake.
Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from the tray.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Notes
*I like to use a generous spoonful of instant coffee or instant espresso, dissolved in two Tablespoons of hot water.
**Milk Duds are an American candy consisting of chewy caramel enrobed in milk chocolate. In the UK and other countries, they are readily available for purchase on Amazon. If you can’t find Milk Duds, you can substitute another caramel candy instead.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour + 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
