These sticky toffee pudding cookies combine finely chopped Medjool dates, salted caramel, and dark chocolate in a brown butter dough. Browning the butter develops its nutty flavor but also removes water, so replacing that moisture is a small step that helps keep the centers chewy. An overnight chill gives the dough time to hydrate before baking, while caramel shards melt into pockets across the tops.

Recipe Details

• Yield: About 16 large cookies
• Prep time: Approximately 40 minutes, plus cooling
• Chilling time: 12–24 hours
• Baking time: 12–15 minutes per batch

Ingredients

Salted Caramel Shards

• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Cookie Dough

• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• Room-temperature water, as needed to replace moisture lost during browning
• ⅔ cup (135 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¾ cup (120 g) finely chopped, pitted Medjool dates, measured after chopping
• 3½ ounces (100 g) dark chocolate, preferably 70–75% cocoa, roughly chopped
• All the salted caramel shards from above, divided
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Cook the caramel. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir gently until dissolved, then increase to medium. Let it bubble without stirring, gently swirling the pan if the color develops unevenly. Once deep amber, remove from the heat and carefully stir in the salt.
2. Cool and break into pieces. Immediately pour the caramel into a thin layer on the prepared sheet. Let it cool completely until hard; never touch or taste hot caramel. Break into ¼–½-inch pieces. Set aside one-third in an airtight container at room temperature for topping.
3. Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl, including the browned bits. Let cool until barely warm, about 15–20 minutes.
4. Replace the lost water. Weigh the cooled brown butter in a bowl on a tared kitchen scale. Stir in enough room-temperature water to bring the combined weight back to 170 g. You’ll usually need about 1½–2 tablespoons, but use the weight as your guide.
5. Make the dough. Whisk both sugars into the butter, then whisk in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined, then fold in the dates, chocolate, and the two-thirds portion of caramel.
6. Shape and refrigerate. Divide the dough into 16 equal balls. If it’s too soft to scoop, refrigerate briefly until manageable. Place in a covered container and chill for 12–24 hours.
7. Prepare the cookies. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), conventional, and line a large baking sheet with parchment. Arrange 5–6 dough balls on the sheet with plenty of room to spread. Press each into a thick puck, about ¾ inch tall. Press the reserved caramel into the tops, keeping large pieces away from the bottom edges. Leave the remaining dough refrigerated.
8. Bake and let set. Bake on the middle rack for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are browned and the centers look soft but no longer wet with raw dough. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt. Cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack once firm enough to lift. Let the baking sheet cool before starting another batch.

Tips for Chewy Centers and Crisp Edges

• Choose soft, sticky dates. Chop them into small pieces so they blend through the dough. Firm, leathery dates will leave tougher pieces in the cookies.
• Weigh the flour and butter. Too much flour can limit spreading, while guessing how much water the butter lost makes the dough less consistent.
• Keep the caramel thin. Thick chunks can leave large, hard patches after cooling. Small, thin shards are easier to distribute.
• Use dark chocolate to balance the sweetness. Dates and caramel already contribute plenty of sugar. A 70–75% chocolate bar adds a slightly bitter contrast.
• Check a small batch first. Bake two cookies to see how they spread in your oven. If they stay too thick, flatten the next batch a little more.
• Allow time for the caramel to cool. The centers can still be warm when served, but the caramel should no longer be bubbling or piping hot.

Storage and Reheating

At room temperature: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Place parchment between layers to keep the caramel from sticking. The edges will soften during storage.

To freeze: Freeze cooled cookies in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment. Thaw at room temperature.

To reheat: Warm thawed cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 4–5 minutes. Let them stand briefly before eating, since the caramel can heat faster than the dough.

Common Questions

Can I use caramel sauce instead of shards?

Caramel sauce adds moisture and won’t behave like hard caramel in this dough. Use the shards for this recipe. The softer caramel used for homemade caramel apples is a different preparation and isn’t a direct substitute.

Do I need to soak the dates?

Use soft Medjool dates without soaking. Soaking introduces extra water that this dough hasn’t been formulated to accommodate.

Will the caramel stay gooey after cooling?

It will be softer while the cookies are warm. As they cool, exposed caramel can become firm or crisp. Briefly reheating the cookies softens the centers and chocolate, though the caramel won’t necessarily turn into a flowing sauce.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. Shape and refrigerate it, covered, for the planned 12–24-hour chill. Keep the reserved topping shards in a separate airtight container at room temperature and add them just before baking.

More Cookies to Bake

For a smaller chocolate chip cookie to serve alongside these, try Sweet Martha’s copycat cookies.

This chicken tetrazzini is baked spaghetti, shredded chicken, and mushrooms in a cream sauce that starts on the stove. I cook the mushrooms until the pan is dry before the flour goes in, because leftover liquid is what thins the sauce in the oven. I set the pan next to a slice of golden garlic bread, or a scoop of classic coleslaw if I want something cold against the bake.

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti or linguine
• 3 cups (about 12 oz / 340 g) shredded cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• ⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (60 ml) dry sherry or dry white wine
• 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat the oven and cook the pasta: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti 2 minutes less than the package al dente time. Scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water, drain the noodles, and leave them in the colander without rinsing.
2. Brown the mushrooms dry: Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the mushrooms and leave them alone for 3 minutes so the first side takes color. Stir and keep cooking until the liquid they give off has evaporated and the pan looks dry, 7 to 9 minutes total. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt, cook 3 minutes until the onion is translucent, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds and scrape everything onto a plate.
3. Build the cream sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it smells nutty and looks pale gold. Whisk in the sherry, scraping the brown bits off the pan, then add the broth a splash at a time so the sauce stays smooth. Stir in the half-and-half, lemon juice, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until it coats a spoon but still pours like heavy cream, not gravy.
4. Toss and top: Add the pasta, chicken, mushroom mixture, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan to the skillet and toss until every strand is coated. The mix should look a little loose; if it already looks tight, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water. Spread it in the baking dish. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, toss it with the panko and the rest of the Parmesan, and scatter that over the top.
5. Bake, then rest: Cover the dish with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 12 to 15 minutes more, until the edges bubble and the panko is golden. Rest 10 minutes so the sauce thickens enough to scoop instead of running, then finish with the parsley.

If the tetrazzini turns dry or watery

• A tight, pasty bake means the sauce went in looking like gravy, or the pasta was already fully cooked. The sauce should pour like heavy cream, and the spaghetti still needs 2 minutes of bite left.
• A watery pan means the mushrooms were still wet when the flour went in. Keep cooking them until the skillet looks dry and they take on color. That liquid has to leave the pan on the stove, not in the oven.
• A pale, flat sauce usually means you skipped the brown bits. Don’t wash the skillet after the mushrooms. The sherry is there to pull that fond into the sauce.
• A rubbery cheese lid comes from a thick mozzarella blanket left uncovered too long. This topping is a thin panko-Parmesan layer, and it only bakes uncovered for the last 12 to 15 minutes.

Storage

Cool leftover tetrazzini, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat a portion covered at 350°F (175°C) until the center is hot, about 15 to 20 minutes, with a splash of broth if the sauce has tightened. To freeze, assemble the casserole without the panko, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, add the topping, and bake as directed, adding about 10 minutes. USDA leftover food safety guidance is the 3-to-4-day fridge window I follow for cooked chicken.

FAQ

Can you freeze chicken tetrazzini?

Assemble it in a freezer-safe dish without the panko topping, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add the buttered panko and Parmesan, and bake as directed, adding about 10 extra minutes since it starts colder.

Can I use leftover turkey instead of chicken?

Use 3 cups of shredded cooked turkey in place of the chicken, same volume, no other changes. That’s the old leftover move this casserole was built for, and the sauce doesn’t care which bird you use.

What pasta can I use besides spaghetti?

Linguine or thin spaghetti are the closest. Penne or rigatoni also work if you undercook them by 2 to 3 minutes. Skip very thin angel hair, because it turns slack in the oven before the sauce sets.

This caramel apples recipe fails on grocery apples if you skip the wax. Store fruit is coated so it looks shiny in the bin, and that film is why homemade caramel puddles on the tray instead of clinging. I scrub the apples in hot water until they feel squeaky, dry them cold, then cook a brown-sugar caramel to 240°F (116°C) and let it cool to 200°F (93°C) before I dip.

If you still have Granny Smiths after dipping, I bake them as air-fryer apple crisp. A small pot of apple curd uses the leftover fruit without another candy thermometer.

Ingredients

• 8 small to medium Granny Smith apples (about 2½ lb / 1.1 kg)
• 8 wooden caramel-apple sticks or 6-inch skewers
• 1¾ cups (420 ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (240 ml) light corn syrup
• 2 cups (400 g) packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Optional Toppings

• Chopped roasted peanuts
• Chopped pecans or walnuts
• Crushed pretzels
• Mini chocolate chips
• Toffee bits
• Crushed chocolate cookies
• Shredded coconut
• Seasonal sprinkles
• Flaky sea salt
• Melted dark, milk, or white chocolate for drizzling

Instructions

1. Prepare the apples: Wash the apples well with warm water, rubbing firmly with a clean kitchen towel to remove any waxy coating. Dry them completely, remove the stems, and push a stick through the stem end about three-quarters of the way into each apple.
2. Prepare the pan: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or lightly buttered parchment paper.
3. Start the caramel: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
4. Cook the caramel: Clip a candy thermometer to the pan, making sure the tip sits in the caramel without touching the bottom. Stop stirring and let the mixture boil steadily until it reaches 240°F (116°C), about 15 to 20 minutes. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, brush them down with a damp pastry brush.
5. Add the vanilla and cool slightly: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the caramel stand for about 5 to 10 minutes, until it thickens enough to fall from a spoon in a slow, heavy ribbon.
6. Dip the apples: Make sure the apples are completely dry. Tilt the saucepan slightly, dip one apple into the caramel, and rotate it until evenly coated. Lift it out and let the excess caramel drip back into the pan for several seconds, then lightly scrape the bottom against the edge of the saucepan.
7. Add toppings: If using chopped nuts, pretzels, toffee, sprinkles, or other dry toppings, press or roll them onto the apple immediately after dipping while the caramel is still soft.
8. Let the caramel set: Place the apples on the prepared baking sheet and let them stand at room temperature for about 30 to 45 minutes, until the caramel has set and no longer slides down the fruit.
9. Add chocolate if desired: Once the caramel has set, drizzle the apples with melted dark, milk, or white chocolate. Let the chocolate firm before serving.

If the caramel slides off

• A sheet of caramel that peels off in one piece means wax is still on the skin, or the apple was wet. Scrub again under hot water until it squeaks, dry it, chill 20 minutes, and wipe condensation right before the dip.
• A puddle at the base means you dipped above 200°F (93°C). Wait until a drip holds a slow ribbon, usually 5 more minutes in the pan.
• A hard, crackly shell means the syrup went past 245°F (118°C). Pull the next batch at 240°F (116°C). For this batch, let the apples sit 10 minutes at room temperature before you bite so the coating softens a little.
• Caramel too thick to coat means it cooled below about 190°F (88°C). Warm it over low heat, stirring, until it loosens back to 200°F (93°C). Don’t boil it a second time or it will go hard.

Storage

Refrigerate the dipped apples, loosely covered, within 2 hours, and eat them within 3 to 4 days. The cream in the caramel is perishable, so don’t leave them on the counter overnight. Slice just before serving so the cut apple doesn’t brown. I don’t freeze these – the caramel weeps and the apple turns mealy. USDA leftovers and food safety covers the 2-hour cooling window for perishable food.