Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Sea Salt

Okay, this year I seem to be addicted to Sweet/Salty flavors. I found this recipe on http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/ and had to give it a try. Something sweet with just a hint of saltiness is perfect because it's not so sweet that you get a big sugar rush. I thought these looked yummo! I followed this recipe pretty close, but I doubled the batch and I didn't have plain yogurt on hand, so I used half vanilla flavored yogurt and half sour cream together, they turned out yummo. I also had a hard time figuring out what caramel to use, I tried caramel filled kisses, most turned out ok, but some of them the caramel leaked out on a few. So the next batch I tried Kraft caramels that I cut in half, but they didn't melt, they were good, but chewy in the middle which isn't a bad thing. So the next time I make these, I think I will buy Rolo candy and try that because I liked the chocolate caramel in the middle that I got when using the caramel filled kisses. Rolo's might hold up a bit better. Just be sure the cookie dough completely surrounds whatever caramel center you use.

Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Sea Salt

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I used dark cocoa)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Soft caramel, rolled into little balls
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF; line 2 baking sheets with baking paper, lightly coated with cooking spray.  Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sift together flour, soda, and salt; set aside.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Wrap the chocolate dough around the caramel balls. Place balls on cookie sheets and sprinkle with sea salt. (I found that the salt rolled off the cookie ball, so I dipped mine in a little sea salt, be careful not to get too much sea salt!! I had mine spread lightly around a plate so only a few kernals stuck on each cookie ball.)
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

YUMMO!