These Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies combine crisp, buttery cookies with a soft, chewy caramel flavored with soy sauce or miso for a delightful salty-sweet contrast. They feel like a bakery treat — great for gifting, holiday boxes, or any time you want a decadent caramel cookie.
Table of Contents
- Soy Caramel Sandwich Cookies
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies
- VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
- Lisa’s Recipe Tips
- How to Store Sandwich Cookies
- Recipe FAQ
- More Sandwich Cookie Recipes
- Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Soy Caramel Sandwich Cookies
Using soy sauce or miso adds a savory, umami layer that balances the caramel’s sweetness. These sandwich cookies pair a crisp, buttery shortbread with a stretchy, soft caramel that pulls apart satisfyingly when bitten. They were a holiday favorite and remain an easy-to-enjoy treat that’s not overly salty — just balanced and rich.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need for the cookies and the soft salted caramel, along with a few substitution notes.
For the cookies:
- Unsalted butter or browned butter (re-solidified) — unsalted keeps salt levels consistent; browned butter adds a toasty depth.
- Egg yolk — adds richness without making the cookies cakey.
- Powdered sugar — yields a tender, smooth-textured shortbread.
- Almond flour — optional but recommended for subtle nuttiness and a tender crumb.
- Cake flour — helps create a light, crisp shortbread texture ideal for sandwich cookies.
For the soft salted caramel:
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar — granulated can be used alone, but brown sugar adds depth.
- Glucose or corn syrup — prevents crystallization and keeps the caramel pliable.
- Heavy cream and whole milk — produce a smooth, creamy caramel.
- Unsalted butter — enriches the caramel and helps it set.
- Soy sauce, miso, or kosher salt — choose soy for umami, white miso for mellow savoriness, or salt for a classic finish.
How to Make Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies
The recipe breaks down into three parts: cookie dough, caramel, and assembly.
- Make the cookie dough: Beat butter until smooth, add powdered sugar, then mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. Add almond and cake flours and mix until the dough comes together. Shape into flat squares between parchment or inside a zip-top bag, then freeze until firm.
- Bake the cookies: Trim the edges if needed, slice into 5×5 cm squares, and bake at 325°F (160°C) until lightly golden and crisp. Cool completely so they hold the caramel filling.
- Make the caramel: Warm the cream and milk. In another pan, melt glucose then sugars until deep amber. Add warm cream in small portions, stirring constantly. Cook to about 125°C for a soft yet set caramel. Stir in butter and soy/miso or salt, then pour into a lined 15×15 cm pan and chill until firm.
- Assemble: Slice the caramel into 5×5 cm squares. Sandwich one caramel square between two cookie squares, pressing gently. If the caramel is too firm to stick, warm a spoon or offset spatula and lightly melt the caramel surface, then press to adhere.
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
- Weigh your ingredients: A kitchen scale ensures consistent results, especially for shortbread and caramel.
- Use a candy thermometer: Aim for about 125°C (257°F) for a soft, stretchy caramel that still holds its shape.
- Even sheets are easier: Rolling the dough between parchment or inside a zip-top bag helps create uniform thickness. Pastry rulers improve consistency.
- Warm the caramel to stick: If the caramel doesn’t adhere well, lightly warm its surface with a heated spoon or offset spatula to act as glue.
How to Store Sandwich Cookies
- Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze individually wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 1 month.
- Serve lightly thawed from frozen for an extra-chewy caramel and a still-crisp cookie.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. White miso gives a mild savory note while darker miso adds richer umami. Adjust the amount to taste.
Yes. Double both the cookie dough and the caramel. For the caramel, use two 15×15 cm pans or a single pan with the same combined surface area to keep thickness consistent (a 30×15 cm pan matches the doubled batch).
More Sandwich Cookie Recipes
- Nama Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Nama Matcha Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Rum Raisin Sandwich Cookies
- Matcha Latte Sandwich Cookies
Enjoy! If you make this Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies recipe, please leave a comment and rating — I love seeing your photos and hearing how they turned out.
Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies
5 from 1 review
- Author: Lisa Kitahara
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies feature crisp, buttery cookies filled with a soft, chewy caramel made with soy sauce or miso for an irresistible salty-sweet balance. They’re fun to make and taste just like an elevated bakery treat.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter or browned butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk (about 16 g), room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 2 tbsp + 1.5 tsp (17.5 g) almond flour
- 2/3 cup (80 g) cake flour
Soft Salted Caramel
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2.5 tbsp (30 g) brown sugar
- 2.5 tbsp (25 ml) glucose or corn syrup
- 5 tbsp (70 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp soy sauce, or 1/3 tsp kosher salt (or substitute miso to taste)
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- Beat the butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Add almond flour and cake flour and mix on low, then medium, until the dough comes together. Shape into a ball.
- Divide dough in half and flatten between parchment, plastic wrap, or inside a zip-top bag to form 15.5×15.5 cm squares about 3 mm thick. Freeze until firm.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Trim edges if desired, slice into 5×5 cm squares, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake 15–17 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely before assembling.
Make the Salted Soft Caramel
- Line a 15×15 cm pan with parchment and lightly oil it.
- Warm the cream and milk without boiling.
- In another pan, heat glucose, then add granulated and brown sugar. Melt until deep amber. Reduce heat and add the warm cream mixture in 2–3 portions, stirring constantly. Cook until the caramel reaches about 125°C for a soft but set texture.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and soy sauce (or miso/salt) until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and chill until firm enough to slice.
Assemble the Sandwich Cookies
- Warm and lightly oil a sharp knife, then cut the caramel slab into 5×5 cm squares.
- Sandwich one caramel square between two cookie squares, pressing gently. If needed, warm a spoon or offset spatula and lightly melt the caramel surface to help the cookies adhere.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Protein: 3 g