This rolo cookie recipe combines the best of both worlds – a chewy chocolate cookie wrapped around a gooey caramel center. It’s impossible to eat just one of these warm, melty treats!
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My family is crazy about these cookies and we’ve been making them for years. The cookie recipe was a $2,000 winner in the 1990 Pillsbury Bake-off. Stuffing a Rolo candy inside a chocolate cookie was a brilliant idea. How can you go wrong with the combination of chocolate and caramel?
When making these cookies, it’s important to place the Rolo near the top of the cookie dough. I like to use a #40 scoop and make a round ball. (This scoop is 2 tablespoons.) Then set the Rolo on top of the dough and push the dough up around the Rolo to cover it.
You want a nice thick base of cookie dough underneath the Rolo. The Rolo will melt while baking, and the more dough underneath the Rolo, the less likely it will be to leak out of the bottom.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Rolo Cookie Recipe
- Gooey Caramel Center: Each cookie hides a delicious Rolo candy in the middle that melts into a rich, gooey caramel surprise. It’s a delightful twist on a classic chocolate cookie.
- Kid-Friendly: Little helpers love unwrapping the Rolos and pressing them into the warm cookies – it’s a perfect family baking project.
- Perfect Texture: Soft, chewy, and slightly crisp edges make these cookies a dream to bite into. They’re the ideal balance of textures.
- Crowd-Pleasing Dessert: These cookies are a hit at parties, potlucks, or just as a sweet snack at home. Everyone loves the combination of chocolate and caramel!
🍪 If you’re in the mood for something sweet and simple, Hershey Kiss Cookies are a must—the hardest part is waiting for them to cool before sneaking one!
Recipe Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour
- Cocoa – unsweetened
- Baking soda
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Pecans or walnuts
- Rolo® Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate
- Sugar
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chocolate Rolo Cookies
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; mix well.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in ½ cup pecans if using.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes for easier handling.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball with floured hands. I like to use a #40 scoop and make a round ball. Then set the Rolo on top of the dough and push the dough up around the Rolo to cover it.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place, nut side up, 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
- Bake at 375°F for 7 to 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
Pro Tip: It’s also important to use parchment paper or a Silpat when baking these cookies so they don’t stick to your baking sheet. These cookies are better if slightly underbaked.
Recipe FAQs
While you can, Rolos are specially designed to melt at the right temperature without making a mess. Caramel squares often melt too quickly and leak out of the cookies.
Save those for snacking! Mini Rolos are too small to create that perfect pocket of caramel in the center and tend to completely melt into the cookie.
Cookies may spread if the dough is too warm or if there’s too much butter. Chill the dough before baking, and make sure your baking soda is fresh for the right texture.
Expert Tips
- Softened Butter: Your butter should be just soft enough to leave a small dent when pressed – about 30 minutes at room temperature. If it’s too soft, your cookies will spread too much.
- Easy Scooping: A medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) ensures even-sized cookies that will bake uniformly and have the perfect ratio of cookie to Rolo.
- Rotate Halfway: Halfway through baking, turn your cookie sheet 180 degrees for even browning. Dark spots on the bottom mean your oven has hot spots – rotating helps prevent this.
- Prep Ahead: Unwrap all your Rolos before you begin the dough so they’re ready to press into the cookie dough at the right time.
Storage Tips
To keep your Rolo cookies fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze the baked cookies in a resealable freezer bag for up to 2 months—just thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
For the dough, you can also freeze unbaked portions for up to 3 months; simply bake straight from the freezer, adding a minute or two to the baking time. These storage tips ensure you can enjoy your gooey, caramel-filled cookies whenever the craving strikes!
Delicious Cookie Recipes You Have to Try
If you’re a cookie lover, these irresistible recipes are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Brownie Cookies combine the fudgy richness of brownies with the chewy goodness of cookies for a match made in dessert heaven.
- Bursting with fruity flavor, Strawberry Cookies are soft, sweet, and perfect for summer snacking.
- If you love a balance of creamy and crunchy, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies will hit the spot with their buttery nuts and silky chocolate chips.
- For a touch of elegance, Red Velvet Cookies deliver a beautiful color and subtle cocoa flavor, perfect for any special occasion.
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
More Cookie Recipes to Consider
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Simple Rolo Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Rolo® Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate unwrapped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; mix well.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in ½ cup pecans if using.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes for easier handling.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball with floured hands. I like to use a #40 scoop and make a round ball. Then set the Rolo on top of the dough and push the dough up around the Rolo to cover it.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place, nut side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 375°F for 7 to 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
Notes
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup easier. It also ensures even baking.
- Add a sprinkle of sea salt, a drizzle of chocolate, or mix in nuts for your own unique twist. The recipe is versatile and easy to personalize!
- For evenly sized cookies, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. This ensures consistent baking and a professional look.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them set without falling apart.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
I will definitely try to make this as soon as possible!
kristy
I am drooling. Wish I can have a couple of them right now. Yummm…. I think I’ll try one with toffee candy >o<
Have a great week ahead dear.
Blessings, Kristy
Carol
Oh my goodness……emphasis on GOODNESS! Those look dangerous in a good way. And don’t I have Rolos in the freezer. Uh oh….I feel some cookie baking coming on. 🙂
I love the old Pillsbury Bake Off recipes-I have 2 Best of the Bake-Off cookbooks. One is the best 1000 recipes from the first 10 Bake Offs-it was my Mom’s cookbook, she gave it to me and I still use it to this day-it has the original Peanut Blossoms cookie recipe in it-I remember her making those all the time-what a treat. The second one has the best recipes from later bake-off contests-up to 1996. I love those cookbooks and all the ones I used to pick up at the check-out stand. I used to love those too. SO many great recipes.
Deanna dunham
Amazing! Loved them! I drizzeled white chocolate on them the first time. The second time I pressed them with the bottom of a glass that had a flower like design then placed a pecan in the center on melted chocolate. Yumm yumm! Thanks for sharing!!
Barbara
Deanna – great idea. Makes it almost like a turtle cookie. Thanks for letting me know!
Marthe
These look amazing, I loved them!!
Just wanted to let you know I posted about these today!
Lorraine E
I love the caramel centre, it’s no wonder these won an award, there was instant lust when I saw these!
CIA-Cooking In An Apron
These are awesome! Made them this morning and took them for to a friend (kept a few for tasting) and kinda regret giving them away…off to get another package of Rolos to make again! These are TDF!! OMG! Thanks for sharing!
Kristen
You absolutely can’t go wrong with this combination. This looks fantastic!
I have a chocolate, rolo cookie that is very similar, but not quite the same. I have a bag waiting for me to use them!
Prudy
No wonder they got an award. They look delish!
Barbara Bakes
Thanks for all the nice comments. I hope you give them a try.
Jaime -cookies definitely make me happy! A caramel brownie sounds delicious!
Katie – Sometimes I get inspired by a dish I order in a restaurant, or a fruit or vegetable at the store that looks delicious. Often it’s a recipe in a magazine that I can’t resist.
Katie
Thanks 🙂
What inspires you in the kitchen? I usually get a lot of ideas all at once but then at other times I draw a blank.
Jaime Mormann Richardson
Don’t cookies just make you happy??? These look delicious. I’ve been looking for inspiration for my Bake Sale Week on my blog. Maybe I could do some sort of caramel brownie. Mmmm. Who knows. Keep up the great work on your blog!
Deborah
I was actually just thinking of the caramel filled cookies I made awhile back, and how someone had suggested this recipe to me. I went back and looked, and it was you! This must really be a winner!!
Lisa
I can see why these won! I just put your wonderful blog in my reader.
Megan
My daughter would go nuts for these Rolo filled cookies. love the white drizzle. It makes them look so special! 🙂
Jenny
Those cookies look like a must try to me! I can see why they won a prize at the Bake-off!
~Priscilla~
oh wow those look so good! i will be trying these!
Stephanie
Wow, those look so good! I love the idea of sandwich cookies, where the filling is baked in. What a fun surprise to bite into!
Katie
YUM! Thanks for sharing. These look fabulous.
I love your blog!
HoneyB
oh these look delicious! I love the rolo in the middle! I just finished looking at my Martha Stewart Cookie book again. I am trying to decide what cookie to make next! With the weather cooling down on us some here I’m starting to think fall.