These milk dud cookies are a soft, chewy, crunchy, delicious cookie treat that tastes great with flaked salt on top!
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Milk Dud stuffed cookies blend soft, chewy dough with gooey caramel for a delightful treat. Hidden Milk Duds create pockets of melty caramel, adding richness to every bite. Ideal for sharing, they're perfect for using up Halloween candy.
Whether for a special occasion or a simple indulgence, these cookies are bound to please. Beware, they vanish quickly, so consider making a double batch!
Explore my Rolo Turtle Fudge, Butterfingers Hot Chocolate, and Rolo Stuffed Ritz Crackers for more candy-inspired recipes.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're unexpected. Chocolate chip cookies and other "traditional" flavors are always expected, so do something unique and stuff a cookie with some candy.
- They're easy to make. Making these cookies is pretty quick and easy because we don't need to chill the dough. So you can go from mixing to eating in just a few minutes.
- Simple ingredients. If you already have the candies, then there's a good chance you have some of the other ingredients as well. Made with pantry staples like flour, sugar, and butter, these cookies are simple yet delicious.
🛒 Ingredients
Sugars- You will need both brown sugar as well as granulated sugar for chewy sweet cookies.
Baking soda- To help the cookies puff and spread as they bake, you will need some baking soda.
Milk Duds- Adding milk duds to the center of the cookies is how we get the chewy centers. The candies will melt as they bake and create a thin chewy center in every cookie.
Flaky Salt- This is an optional ingredient, but adding flaky sea salt over the top of the cookies really helps to elevate the flavors.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Watch for candy sales. Milk Duds are often discounted around holidays and movie-night promotions. Leftover Halloween candy sales could be great for savings too!
Skip the flaky salt if needed. The cookies are flavorful without it, making it an easy optional add-on.
Keep portions consistent. Using rounded tablespoons helps stretch the dough evenly across all cookies.
🥄 Instructions for Milk Dud Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the sheet aside.
Step 2: Cream together the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 3: Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla and mix again.
Step 4: Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl, mix until just combined.
Step 5: Portion the dough out into rounded tablespoons and press a milk dud into the center of each dough ball, covering it up completely.
Step 6: Place about 8 well spaced cookies on each cooking sheet.
Step 7: Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
The edges will look dark and set with the centers looking slightly underdone.
Step 8: Allow to rest on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Dough Consistency Tip- If the dough is too soft to wrap around the Milk Duds, refrigerate it for 1-2 hours before scooping. This firms up the dough, making it easier to handle.
- Cooling Process- After baking, allow the candy-stuffed cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes. This prevents sticking and ensures the centers remain intact.
- Warning- Transferring the cookies while still warm can cause the melted Milk Dud centers to stick to the pan, resulting in a messy transfer and potential loss of filling.
❄️ Storage and Make Ahead
Storage: Store Milk Dud Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
Make Ahead: The dough can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking, or baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
These Milk Dud cookies pair well with fruit trays, ice cream scoops, dessert boards, or as a sweet treat for movie nights and parties.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
These caramel stuffed cookies are good for about 3-5 days if kept stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can freeze these cookies! In fact, they freeze very well. After they have cooled completely, flash freeze them for an hour on a cookie sheet before transferring them to an airtight freezable container. Then keep them stored for up to 2 months, thaw, and eat.
You can either leave the Milk Duds whole or cut them in half, depending on whether you prefer large caramel pockets in your cookies or a more even distribution.
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🐝 If you tried these Milk Dud Stuffed Cookies, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Milk Dud Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened - ($1.49)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar - ($0.44)
- ½ cup granulated sugar - ($0.18)
- 2 large eggs - ($0.30)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract - ($0.06)
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour - ($0.36)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda - ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- 36 Milk Duds candies - ($1.24)
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Mix dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined.
- Stuff the cookies. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough. Press a Milk Dud into the center, wrap the dough around it, and roll into a ball. Place about 8 cookies per baking sheet.
- Top and bake. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the tops are just lightly browned.
- Cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Dough texture: If dough is too soft, chill for 1 to 2 hours before scooping.
- Cooling: Allow cookies to cool slightly so the melted Milk Duds do not stick or tear the cookies.
- Reheating: Microwave cookies for about 15 seconds for a warm, gooey center.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Flash freeze first, then transfer to a freezer safe container.
Nutritional Information
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