These double chocolate caramel cookies require only five ingredients and are chewy, delicious, and easy as can be to whip up!
Hey, guess what? I’m no longer afraid of serial killers hiding in my upstairs closet! Are you impressed by how quickly I got over it?
Don’t be. I’ve actually just replaced that fear with another.
A couple weeks ago I mentioned on Instagram that I’d seen a coyote one evening when I took my little Cookie out for a walk.
We literally had just stepped out the door when I saw what I initially thought was a neighbor’s dog running down the street. It took a few seconds for my brain to register a few salient details—the dog had no collar and had a big fluffy tail hanging down to the ground instead of up in the air—and then I realized what I was seeing. I was all OMGOMGOMG Cookie is that a COYOTE?
She barked and the coyote turned its head, but fortunately just kept running in the other direction. I went back inside and confirmed, after a quick google search, that it was a coyote. And I was fresh out of Acme anvils and dynamite.
And then, in another addition of things I wish I’d never done, I searched “coyote” in my NextDoor app and apparently they’re pretty common where I live. So are red foxes, javelinas, and owls big enough to snatch a small animal up off the ground. People, I live within walking distance of a Starbucks, a Trader Joe’s, and a fire station—this is a fully populated area. Yet the neighborhood is still apparently teeming with wild pigs.
Those of you who weren’t questioning my sanity about moving to Phoenix just before summer hit are probably questioning it now and I’m right there with you.
Don’t be surprised if in a few weeks you see me posting about moving back to Oregon, where the only wild animals I ever worried about wore tie-dye, smelled of patchouli, and were generally very docile.
So what’s a dog mom to do when she finds out there are large predatory animals hiding in every corner of her neighborhood? Well she bakes cookies of course. So she can stress eat said cookies while crying and telling her fur baby I’ll fight any and all coyotes that come after you!
And bake cookies I did. These double chocolate caramel cookies come together in no time flat, with only five ingredients. YEP! Five ingredients to mix up these bad boys, which means you’re that much closer to double chocolate caramel bliss. And we all know that double the chocolate means double the stress relief.
Surprisingly, Cookie doesn’t seem concerned about wild pigs or even aggressive owls. She’s just happy I found a better way to fight my anxiety than pulling out my hair. . .
Double chocolate caramel cookies: the cure for what ails you.
Easy to make and totally delicious, you'll love these cookies!
- 1 box 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup caramel bits
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the cake mix, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to medium speed until ingredients are well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the caramel bits and white chocolate chips. (Dough will be very stiff.)
- Form into balls of about 2 tablespoons of dough. Place on ungreased, unlined baking sheets 2 inches apart and flatten slightly. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets. Cookies can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.
lynne hoareau says
I foresee a double batch of these babies being devoured before and after walks with Cookie …to help with the stress ! Kelsie, that is some scary information…owls grabbing small animals…that is horrific !
This really is a nice quick and easy recipe, sounds amazing….well anything with chocolate is amazing, and the caramel bits is a huge bonus 🙂
Kelsie says
YES! I have a whole bunch in the freezer so I can stress eat :). Thank you Lynne! Have a great week, my friend!
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
What? I would freak out if I saw a coyote! I have saw a fox before, though. Keep your eyeballs peeled for them when you have Cookie out or anything!!
So, these cookies….some kinda magic here if you ask me! 5 ingredients? They are seriously too easy, which means that I will make them and eat them and then make and eat again….hehehe. P.S. Saw IT on Friday and it was awesome! Cheers to an awesome week, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Right? Five ingredients should not make such a delicious cookie :). Thank you Dawn! Have a great week!
David | Spiced says
Hahaha…I love this post, Kelsie! Of course, I don’t love the fact that coyotes are prowling in the bushes outside of your apartment, but at least they led to the creation of these cookies! Also, I’m pretty sure that coyote was more scared of you than you were of it. I think they hunt in packs. We have coyotes in our neighborhood, too (although rare), so we totally installed a ridiculous anti-coyote gadget on our fence in the backyard. (We back up to a bunch of trees.) We essentially mounted PVC pipe on wire so that wild animals couldn’t leap over the fence. Their paws would just hit the pvc pipe and spin away. I also hot-glued huge jinglebells to said PVC pipe. Like I said, it’s ridiculous. But we’ve never seen any wild animals in our backyard other than the rabbits that destroy our garden every summer. So the moral of the story? You need to move to upstate New York. And bring cookies. 🙂
Kelsie says
How clever is that? With Robbie and two fur babies I’d have done the same thing; I want a cage made of PVC pipe to walk Cookie in. I’m considering a move sooner rather than later :). Thank you David!
David | Spiced says
A move northeast of your current location? Rumor has it our neighbor’s house is going on the market soon. Just sayin’. 😉
Kelsie says
Hahaha! Send me the listing!
thebakingskillet says
Omg gal! You are surrounded by danger. You better stock up on that dynamite! These cookies are so temptingly easy and look delicious.
Kelsie says
Hahaha! I really am. So scary! Thank you Jenny! Have a great week!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats says
I love easy cake mix cookies!! And that is crazy all the wild animals you have in your neighborhood. Luckily most of them probably don’t want anything to do with humans. Get yourself some pepper spray for those walks you and Cookie go on!!! Xoxo
Kelsie says
Aren’t cake mix cookies the best? No waiting for ingredients to come to temp means eating cookies that much faster! Thank you Kelly!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Goodness, I probably would have frozen with fear if I saw a coyote THAT close to me. I mean, if it’s close enough to recognize it’s a coyote, it’s too dang close! 😉 Glad you and Cookie were safe! I’d just become a hermit and stay indoors if I were you. Lol. KIDDING! Anyways, LOVE this cookies! I mean, only FIVE ingredients for these caramel, chocolaty beauties!? Sign me up! Cheers!
Kelsie says
Oh, I’ve considered training Cookie to use a litter box so neither of us ever has to go outside again :). Haha! Thank you Chey! Have a great week!
Milena | Craft Beering says
Wow Kelsie! You have the answer already – bring the cookies with you. No wild creature would resist them or even think about harming Cookie if you offered them a double choc cookie with caramel. Joking aside, I know exactly how you feel… When we lived in Estes Park there were elk, coyotes, bears, lynx, very large white owls and humongous, ugly crows…and my curious then two year old. We had this rock outcropping on our lot where the lynx liked to lurk and try to catch the little rabbits, no fence (too much hustle with the regular 80+ mph wind gusts there to maintain a fence).. it was a constant worry. But if you act confident and imposing and hold her close, you should be OK! In a way, I am glad to hear that Starbucks has not yet driven out the javelinas!
Kelsie says
I’d have a heart attack if I ever saw a bear near my house! Especially with a child around! I’m secretly a little happy that we have the wild animals around here too; I’m glad all the population hasn’t driven them away. I just want them to stay away from Cookie and me! Have a great week, Milena!
hummingbirdthyme says
Nothing like an easy recipe that starts with a box of cake mix! These sound great! Even I’m nervous about all of the wildlife in your neighborhood! I get nervous about raccoons – generally less fear-inducing than a javelina or coyote. Poor Cookie!
Kelsie says
OMG, I’m actually terrified of raccoons! I’d honestly rather see a javelina I think. At least they don’t look cuddly! Thank you Laura!
In Good Flavor (@InGoodFlavor) says
First of all, I’m glad to see that your computer woes are behind you. And second,I hope you and the varmint don’t cross paths again! Those coyotes are a worrisome site to see.These cookies, on the other hand, are a vision of loveliness! I can totally pound a few of these down in one sitting! 🙂
Kelsie says
Awww thank you Thao! Since our lives pretty much depend on computers at this point, why can’t someone invent one that never has problems? Have a great week, my dear!
ChocolaTess says
Whoa…that is scary! I would need like 2 batches of these bad boys to get over that drama, and then again, that might not be enough Kelsie! I like cake box cookies, because you can come up with so many combinations and flavors. Of course, I’m a chocoholic so these are special! 😀
Kelsie says
Haha! I’m totally with you Kim! I’m fairly new to cake mix cookies and have been having so much fun with them! Have a great week!
Karly says
Ooooh yes. Cookies are totally the fix for everything- especially when they look this good! Need!
Kelsie says
Cookies solve everything right? I’m thinking with the right cookies in the right hands, we could find world peace 🙂
Alia | Everyday Easy Eats says
Oh my word Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies!!!! These look so chewy and yummy. I love that they require such few ingredients to make!!
Kelsie says
Thank you Alia! Easy cookies are just EVERYTHING!
Ashika | Gardening Foodie says
Oh that’s so scary seeing a coyote while walking your little fur baby Cookie but she is so brave for barking at it …. probably chased it away too and saved her mum…so now she is your little superhero as well.
Absolutely loving your stress buster double chocolate caramel cookies…truly the answer to chase away all scary thoughts.
Have a great, coyote free week.?
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you Ashika! She really is a little superhero–and a cute one at that :). You have a great week too!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
Oh I’ve never seen a coyote although I like to hike, and I regularly see signes in the parks (often in the middle of city!) saying “Your pets ain’t safe after 10 p.m because of coyotes”. I think your reaction was 100% adequate – making cookies in your safe kitchen. I would have probably just passed out hah. Anyway, everything seems better with some scrumptious cookies like these. Perhaps, from now on you should keep a few cookies in your pocket/purse. I bet you can easily get a coyote domesticated with a cookie or few:)
Kelsie says
Haha! I’m going to start carrying cookies with me just in case :). Thank you Ben! Stay safe on your hikes please, my friend!
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
That is so scary!! You really need to be vigilant when you take Cookie out for a walk! As for these cookies, Yummm :).Cake mix cookies! Chocolate and caramel! Just 5 ingredients.. You have everything going for these yummy cookies!!!
Kelsie says
Thank you Deepika! Have a lovely week, my dear!
Emma says
I love cake mix cookies, so tasty. I would be petrified by the wildlife…. the worst thing we have in Scotland is pesky squirrels.
Kelsie says
I might move to Scotland then :). That’s all we had where I lived in Oregon too, and I can’t get used to living near dangerous wildlife!
Katherine | Love In My Ovenk says
Coyotes are a completely valid fear!! – more valid than serial killers, anyway 😉 Haha these cookies would be sure to alleviate any terror. They sound so yummy and decadent!! You can’t beat 5 ingredients!
Kelsie says
Haha! I’ll look at my new fear as a positive then :). Thank you Katherine!
Stacey @ The Sugar Coated Cottage says
Coyotes are strange, kind of mangy looking dogs, thats how I can always spot one in our area. Anytime they start building and disturb their natural homes we see more of them. Maybe you need to get Cookie her own German Shepard of course Cookie might end up defending the German Shepard, lol. These cookies are fabulous, the kind you can’t stop eating!! Take care.
Kelsie says
Haha! My brother’s Airedale is here with us this week and initially I thought “oh good, someone to guard us from coyotes” but then I realized he’s such a scaredy cat Cookie would definitely be the one defending him :). Thank you Stacey! Have a great rest of your week!
evolvewithmary says
I’m the kind of person who forgets ingredients, seriously I have to check check and recheck to make sure I used all ingredients required. It’s happened a couple of times and it’s the worst. your 5-ingredient double chocolate caramel cookies are perfect for me. First they are double chocolate! that’s a beautiful thing, add caramel and minimal ingredients and I’m one happy girl.
Kelsie says
These cookies are definitely for you then! I don’t think it’s possible to mess up a cake mix cookie :). Hope you’re having a great week, Mary!
Agness of Run Agness Run says
These cookies are definitely mouth-watering! Seeing a coyote must have been a unique experience…
Kelsie says
Thank you Agness! It definitely was 🙂
kitchenriffs says
There are a lot more wild animals living in suburban/urban areas then people think. We’ve got both foxes and coyotes in our neighborhood. The coyotes are only occasional visitors, but the foxes seem to like it here and have settled in. Anyway, cookies solve everything, right? These look great — thanks.
Kelsie says
That’s what I’m figuring out, haha! Thank you John!
Marissa (@pinchandswirl) says
Oh my, so scary! I’m so glad that Cookie is okay…
Love these deep, dark beauties and how easy they are to whip up! Dessert perfection…
Kelsie says
Thank you Marissa! Hope you’re having a great week, my friend!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
ack good luck with all of those new… friends! there’s sometimes coyote sightings at a nearby hiking trail, and then i use that as justification as to why i can’t hike (and therefore must be a blob on my couch). oops (;
Kelsie says
Haha! Thank you Heather! I’m considering never going outside again. The whole blob thing sounds ideal!
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Kelsie!! Those cookies look like stress busters for sure! Hope there aren’t any more run ins with coyote and other wild things!!
xx
Kelsie says
Hi Natasha! Fancy meeting you here! Thank you so much :). Have a great weekend!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
YIKES on the coyote but I’d risk my life to walk to the Trader Joe’s every day! I don’t care if there were grizzly bears on my route, I’d still be trekking to TJ’s. LOL! I’m insanely jealous that you are in walking distance to stores. And I’m jealous of these cookies too but at least I can make them at home this weekend. BTW, I’m a fur Mom just like you. Two off lease dogs tried to attack my pit bull mix 60 pound little girl once & I stood in front of her so they couldn’t get to her & yelled “STOP OR I WILL KILL YOU!!” They stopped in their tracks, looked at me like “Oh, hell nah”, then turned around and went back to their yard. Hahahahaha!
Kelsie says
Hahaha! I’m with you–Trader Joe’s is my LIFE! I once stuck my hand in the mouth of a dog about to bite down on my dog’s face. Isn’t it amazing what we’ll do for them? And my dog didn’t even seem to care 🙂
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
Those animals and birds are threats to small dogs Kelsie. We have them too and I worry about my little dog going out to pee in the backyard! She gets a cookie when she comes in and I think I should get one of these cookies every time she comes in to celebrate!
Kelsie says
It’s terrifying isn’t it? Fortunately (or unfortunately?) Cookie refuses to go outside by herself anyway :). You definitely need Cookies to celebrate your puppy’s safety!
Carlee says
Don’t you dare talk to my grandma! She is already worried the dog will be carried off by an owl. She bangs a pot of bunch of times before she’ll let him out to scare off any large birds! If you do talk to her, at least bring her cookies! I love good cake mix cookies and this look fabulous!
Kelsie says
Haha! OK, I know it’s a serious worry but I’m cracking up picturing your grandma banging pots around to scare the birds. She might just be on to something! I’ll definitely bring her some cookies so we can commiserate 🙂
piesandprejudicebaker says
OMG!! I remember you posting on IG about seeing a coyote, that’s so scary. At least you have a new fear to distract yourself from your old one, but this one sounds just as bad! haha I’d be freaking out too, especially if you’re walking Cookie in the ‘hood and you come across one. Maybe the coyotes and other wild animals really like the Starbucks and Trader Jos…more food scraps nearby! lol Last year while I was on vacation in Nova Scotia, I was staying at a motel right in a busy populated small town and when I arrived I almost let Mittan off leash as she’s pretty good and it was far enough from the main road. Something told me not too and thankfully I listened to my gut instinct because low and behold a few seconds later we saw a fox walking practically right by our motel room door. Mittan would have probably tried to fight it or lunge at him! EEK! I think I may have told you that story in your post, too haha! Our little pups are precious and it’s so nervous when you think of them running into these other wild animals on a street corner. You just don’t want to take the chance. I’d be making loads of these delicious cookies every time I was taking her out, too— just to make myself feel better haha Well if you end up moving back to Oregon, we won’t be surprised then. Thanks for sharing these easy peasy and delicious-sounding cookies! Mmnnnn
Kelsie says
Haha! The coyote I saw did have a Starbucks cup in its hand so that’s a possibility ;). I’m so glad little Mittan ended up OK! So scary! Than you Dana. Happy Tuesday!