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Million Dollar Cookies: Chocolate cookie with Rolo and Heath

This is THE recipe (broken link now, my original photo) that inevitably comes up whenever I talk about baking. THE one that everyone asks for. I am actually kind of humble about it. This recipe was featured in Parenting Magazine, December 2008/Jan 2009 (link is dead at the moment, their picture) issue as part of the top 5 winners in the 2008 Cookie Bake-Off Bonanza. It also won the Space Coast Cookie Challenge in Melbourne, Florida – 2010.

It’s actually kind of funny finding your own recipe on the Internet. I’ve seen these cookies for sale for $18/dozen, reviews about how they need more chocolate (????), been a prize for selecting a wedding song, other food bloggers making these and these cookies have been swapped over and over again in cookie exchanges!

I make these cookies every holiday season at least once or twice. I was making this particular batch of cookies, just before reading about the contest in the magazine. I thought since everyone loved these cookies and always wanted the recipe, I figured why not enter them?  I Googled as I read the prizes. The winner would receive a Cuisinart 5.5 quart Stand Mixer as the grand prize (still have it if you’re looking to buy!). I figured whoever was entering the contest probably already had a stand mixer of some sort, like me I have a Kitchen Aid.

The name of the cookies actually comes from one of Dave’s former co-workers, Desmond. He loved loved LOVED these cookies and made mention that they ‘tasted like a million bucks!’ There you have it, the name was born – Million Dollar (Caramel) Cookies.

Update November 2018: Heath Toffee is NOT SAFE FOR THOSE WITH TREE NUT ALLERGIES. I have placed an order with Vermont Nut Free chocolates to give their nut-free toffee a go, after many attempts to find a tree nut free toffee. Looking forward to reporting back, it’s been too long without these!

Million Dollar Cookies: Chocolate cookie with Rolo and Heath
Print Recipe

Million Dollar Caramel Cookies aka Chocolate Rolo and Toffee Cookies

Chocolate cookie with Rolo caramel candy inside and crushed Heath Toffee topping.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time38 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 4 dozen
Author: thesugarpixie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ½ cup flour plus another ¼c set aside if dough is too sticky
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 48 Rolo chewy caramels 1 bag is enough (unwrapped candies)
  • 2 Heath candy bars
  • 1 tbsp white sugar add to crushed Heath bars
  • Parchment paper

Instructions

Dough:

  • Beat sugars and butter until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
  • In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa and baking soda.
  • Add flour mixture to sugar mixture (small bit at a time) and blend well. (Feel free to sprinkle in extra flour if the dough is too sticky.)
  • Cover and cool dough in fridge for about 1/2 hour to make it easier to work with.
  • Take this time to unwrap the caramel candies.

Topping:

  • Crush candy bars into small pieces (chopping with a knife or mini-chopper). In a small bowl add crushed candy and 1 tbsp of sugar and mix well.

Assembly:

  • Shape dough into 1″ ball around caramel, covering it completely.
  • Dip top of the dough ball into the crushed candy topping. *easiest to do all the chocolate balls, and then dip into topping when placing on cookie sheet

Baking:

  • Bake on parchment paper for 7-10 minutes at 375°.
  • DO NOT OVER BAKE – they will look quite soft. Cool in pan slightly then move to a cooling rack or flat surface. *easiest to bake on parchment paper and slide cookies and parchment off the tray when cooling
  • Keep in a container once cooled. These cookies freeze well!
  • Reheat: Cook slightly (10 seconds) in microwave to get the insides gooey.

Favorite tools to make these, and all my cookies:

These products include Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a small amount of money if you purchase any of these items. All anonymous, thank you!

Step by Step Process:

Here’s the breakdown you will not find anywhere else! Begin by pre-heating the oven to 375 degrees and lining 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Dough:

Beat together:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)

Until light and fluffy. Then add:

  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs

In a separate bowl mix together, and then add slowly to the butter mixture:

  • 2 ½ cup flour (plus another ¼c set aside if dough is too sticky)
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Cover and cool dough in fridge for about 1/2 hour to make it easier to work with.  (NOTE: I think this is where the color darkens if left for a few hours in the refrigerator. Now, I did use dark cocoa powder, but above is the before picture of the dough and later we’ll see the after.)

The best time to unwrap the Rolo candies is while waiting for the dough to chill. Rolos are a chocolate candy with a caramel filling.

Topping:

Crush candy bars into small pieces (chopping with a knife or mini-chopper). I have rarely been able to find full size Heath bars, so I generally use the snack size.

In a small bowl add crushed candy and 1 tbsp of sugar and mix well.

Assembly:

This is where things can be easy and clean or chaotic and messy. Since I have made these so many times I’ve photographed the assembly process below (right handed).

From left to right: dough, Rolo candies, and wax paper (on a plate or table)

Take about 1 to 1 1/2 Tbs of dough, just enough to form around the candy. Roll into a ball. I use latex (powder free) gloves to roll the dough, because it can be sticky sometimes.

Once the dough balls are formed, bring out the prepared cookie sheets and topping. The process goes in reverse from here.

From left to right: cookie sheet, topping, filled dough balls.

Tip the top of each dough ball into the Heath/sugar mixture and place on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 7-10 minutes in oven. DO NOT OVERBAKE. These cookies will come out looking very soft. If they are in the oven too long, the caramel will ooze out and the cookie will be tough. See how puffy the cookies look vs. when they’re done?

Links to cookies others have made:


Million Dollar Caramel Cookies

Million Dollar Caramel Cookies | Chocolate Rolo and Toffee Cookieshttps://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc_6266.jpg?fit=500%2C752&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc_6266.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1thesugarpixieBakingcookiesRecipesBaking,candy,caramel,chocolate,cookies,Recipes,rolo,toffeeThis is THE recipe (broken link now, my original photo) that inevitably comes up whenever I talk about baking. THE one that everyone asks for. I am actually kind of humble about it. This recipe was featured in Parenting Magazine, December 2008/Jan 2009 (link is dead at the...Misadventures and fun in the kitchen and beyond