This dulce de leche cookie dough is buttery, rich, and packed with sweet caramel flavor. If you need fast quick desserts with a wow factor, this no bake treat is perfect for fall or any time of year.
This recipe takes the elegance of caramel and transforms it into a spoonable, no bake dessert. Dulce de leche brings a deep, caramelized flavor that pairs perfectly with the brown sugar and vanilla base. You can dress it up with a drizzle, a pinch of sea salt, or even some chopped nuts or chocolate.
It’s one of those desserts that looks fancy but takes less than 10 minutes to whip up. Plus, you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand!
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Ingredients for Dulce de Leche Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk (optional, to adjust for texture)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (heat-treated)
- 1/4 cup dulce de leche (plus extra for drizzling)
- Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
How to Make Dulce de Leche Cookie Dough
1. Heat-Treat the Flour. Microwave the flour in a bowl for about 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds to ensure it reaches 165°F throughout. Let it cool before using. You can also spread it on a baking sheet and bake it at 350°F for 5 minutes.
2. Beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract and dulce de leche until well combined. Hold the milk until the end to see if you need to adjust the texture.
4. Add the heat-treated flour and salt and mix until a soft dough forms.
5. Taste and adjust the consistency with more milk if needed.
6. Scoop, roll into bites, or enjoy straight from the spoon. I like to use a cookie scoop and scoop the dough into mini cupcake liners for easy storage and serving.
7. Drizzle with extra dulce de leche and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
8. Chill at least 30 minutes in the fridge to firm up.
Pro Tips
- Use the canned dulce de leche. Sometimes, I see dulce de leche sold in blocks almost like fudge. The dulce de leche that works best for this recipe is the kind that’s sold in a can.
- Sift your heat-treated flour . The heat-treated flour tends to clump together and stick to the bowl you microwave it in. If you don’t want clumps of flour in your pumpkin cookie dough, I would recommend sifting it first, or pushing it through a strainer to break up the clumps.
- For a firmer dough, chill it for 10–20 minutes before scooping.
- Add chopped dark chocolate or toffee bits for extra texture.
- If your dulce de leche is thick, warm it slightly to make it easier to stir in, or use an electric mixer to really help you mix it in.
FAQs
What’s the best way to store this?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can I use caramel sauce instead?
You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The flavor will be much milder and your texture will be more watery if you use caramel sauce instead. If you don’t have dulce de leche on hand, but have some mini chocolate chips, check out this regular chocolate chip cookie dough with sprinkles (you can leave out the sprinkles if you don’t have any) that’s also super yummy.
Is it okay to freeze these?
For sure! Freeze them flat on a plate (you can put them in mini cupcake liners too). Then, put your frozen cookie dough balls in an airtight freezer-safe bag. Defrost a few or as many as you want when you want a quick sweet treat.
What’s the difference between caramel and dulce de leche?
Caramel is made with sugar and water (sometimes cream), while dulce de leche is made with sweetened condensed milk and has a creamier, deeper flavor.
Can I bake this dough into cookies?
No, that wouldn’t really work. This recipe is specifically designed for eating raw and doesn’t include eggs or leavening agents, which means your cookies will be super flat and pretty meh if you bake them.
Is this safe for kids?
Yes, just make sure your flour is heat-treated and you’ll be fine. I was surprised to find that you’re not supposed to eat raw flour, but it is indeed on most flour bags! But a quick turn in the microwave makes raw flour safe for this recipe.
Dulce de leche cookie dough is rich, buttery, and so satisfying. It’s the kind of simple dessert that feels indulgent without the fuss. Whether you enjoy it straight from the bowl or jazz it up for a party treat, it’s a dreamy no bake dessert you’ll come back to again and again.
Dulce de Leche Edible Cookie Dough
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup dulce de leche from a can
- 1-2 Tbsp milk optional, to adjust for texture
- 1 cup flour heat-treated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pinch flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
- Microwave the flour in a bowl for about 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds to ensure it reaches 165°F throughout. Let it cool before using. You can also spread it on a baking sheet and bake it at 350°F for 5 minutes.
- Beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and dulce de leche until well combined. Hold the milk until the end to see if you need to adjust the texture.
- Add the heat-treated flour and salt and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Taste and adjust the consistency with more milk if needed.
- Scoop, roll into bites, or enjoy straight from the spoon. I like to use a cookie scoop and scoop the dough into mini cupcake liners for easy storage and serving.
- Drizzle with extra dulce de leche and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Chill at least 30 minutes in the fridge to firm up.
