Salted Caramel and Chocolate Cookies

I am so SICKKKKK of the weather here...we have been having below zero temperatures (-20°) for way too long now!!!  It is getting so old...I wish I could transport myself somewhere warm for a little while (or forever).  Long enough to warm my frozen bones and enjoy some sunshine that isn't accompanied by freezing weather and frozen snow!! 

When it is this cold, going outside is not something I want to do any more than I have to.  Staying in the warmth of my home wins every single time.  So what does a girl do when she is inside for two days straight??  Bake cookies of course!!

When you look around Pinterest you see a ton of Salted Caramel recipes out there.  The idea of sweet and salty together is always something that I love...I came up with this simple recipe, so that I could see what the fuss is all about.

You will only need 5 ingredients...YEP...you read that right...only 5!!  A chocolate cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines when making cookies), 1/2 cup of margarine, butter or shortening, 2 eggs, kosher salt and a couple of packages of Rolo's or Caramello's (or both)...

To make the dough mix the cake mix, margarine and eggs together until mixed combined.  It will be a thick dough.

Assembling the cookies comes next.  I like to use a cookie scoop to keep everything the same size.  For the Rolo Cookies I put a small scoop of dough onto my lined baking sheet and then pressed a candy into the middle...

I then took another scoop of dough and put it on top.  Be sure to use your finger to seal the dough together around the Rolo (you don't want to loose all of your caramel) and sprinkle with kosher salt...

For the Caramello Cookies I used a larger scoop for the bottom cookie, pressed the candy into the middle...

And used the small scoop for the dough on top...

Bake in a preheated 350° oven.  The Rolo cookies took 10 minutes and the Caramello cookies took 13 minutes.  You want them to be set but NOT overcooked...

See the surprise in the middle...

My Tater loved them, especially when he discovered the treasure baked inside.  You could definitely make them without the salt on top but I am telling you that it makes the cookie!!  Sweet treasure-