Chewy Rolo Chocolate Cookie Recipe – Quick & Delicious

Gooey, irresistible and much easier to make than you might think, Rolo cookies are a must-try treat. If you want them to turn out perfectly, there’s one simple trick that takes them to the next level: freeze the Rolos before baking. Read on for the why, the what and an easy step-by-step method.

If you add Rolos straight from the packet to cookie dough and bake them, the caramel melts too quickly and the cookies spread, becoming thin and flat. Freezing the Rolos first keeps the caramel intact through most of the bake, giving you thick, gooey centers instead of sad, over-spread cookies.

Freezing the Rolos keeps their caramel firm long enough for the cookie dough to set. The result is a soft, chewy cookie with molten caramel pockets. Without freezing, the caramel spreads and can change the texture—sometimes making cookies tough or overly chewy once cooled. Freezing is a simple step that delivers consistently superior results.

Rolo cookies – recipe summary

1. Freeze the Rolos for at least 4 hours.
2. Cream butter with brown and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Fold in flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt until just combined.
5. Stir through frozen Rolos and chocolate chips.
6. Roll heaped tablespoons of dough into balls and place on a lined tray.
7. Freeze the dough balls for 30 minutes and preheat the oven.
8. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden at the edges.
9. Cool briefly on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Ingredients

• Rolos: A mix of regular Rolos and mini Rolos gives a great texture; the larger Rolos create big caramel pockets.
• Butter: Unsalted butter so you can control the salt level.
• Sugar: Light brown sugar for chew and caster sugar for colour.
• Egg: Use room-temperature egg for best results.
• Vanilla: A good-quality vanilla extract improves the flavour.
• Flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour—don’t substitute self-raising.
• Bicarbonate of soda: Gives a small rise.
• Salt: Regular table salt works well.
• Dark chocolate chips: They cut through the caramel’s sweetness.

Tips and troubleshooting

These cookies are straightforward, but a few key tips will help you avoid common problems:

• Freeze your Rolos for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Bring butter and egg to room temperature about an hour before baking so ingredients combine smoothly.
• Choose dark chocolate chips to balance the caramel’s sweetness.
• Use two baking trays when batch baking: cookies need to cool on the tray before moving to a rack.
• Be patient—freeze the dough balls and wait for cookies to set before handling.

• Large, flat cookies: The dough balls or Rolos weren’t cold enough.
• Under/overbaked cookies: Oven temperatures vary—watch the cookies in the last few minutes.
• Too sweet: Switch to dark chocolate chips.
• Cookies sticking together: Layer them with baking paper when storing.

Other recipes you might like

• Nutella stuffed peanut butter cookies
• Best EVER millionaire’s shortbread
• Caramel cookies

Step-by-step recipe

(Printer-friendly version available in the recipe card below.)

Measurements listed include both UK metric and US cup equivalents.

Ingredients (makes 14–16)

• 200g (7 oz) Rolos
• 80g (2.8 oz) Little Rolos
• 100g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 130g (1/2 cup + 1/8 cup) soft light brown sugar
• 60g (1/4 cup) golden caster sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 200g (1 1/2 cups) plain/all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100g (2/3 cup) dark chocolate chips

Essential equipment

• Electric stand mixer or electric hand whisk and large bowl
• Spatula
• Small baking tray (fits in freezer)
• 1–2 large baking trays
• Silicone baking mat or baking paper

Advanced preparation

Place the Rolos (200g) and mini Rolos (80g) in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cookie dough instructions

Cream the softened butter (100g) with the brown sugar (130g) and caster sugar (60g) until very light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Fold in the flour (200g), bicarbonate of soda (1/2 tsp) and salt (1/2 tsp) with a spatula. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the frozen Rolos, mini Rolos and the dark chocolate chips (100g) until evenly distributed.

Line a small tray with baking paper. Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough, roll into balls and arrange on the tray—about 14–16 balls. Place the tray in the freezer (not the fridge) for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C / Fan 170°C / 356°F.

Baking instructions

Place about six chilled dough balls evenly spaced on a large lined baking tray. Don’t overcrowd—the cookies will spread.

Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden at the edges. Optionally, let the cookies rest on the tray for a couple of minutes and use a teaspoon to push any runny caramel back toward the centers for a neater appearance.

Allow cookies to firm on the tray for 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough balls are baked.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5–7 days. To prevent sticking, separate layers with baking paper.

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How to Make Rolo Cookies

Yield:
16

Freezing Time:
4 hours 30 minutes

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
5 hours

Gooey, chocolatey cookies from heaven—Rolo cookies make for a truly special treat.

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) Rolos
• 80g (2.8 oz) Little Rolos
• 100g (1/2 Cup) Unsalted Butter, softened/room temperature
• 130g (1/2 Cup + 1/8 Cup) Soft Light Brown Sugar
• 60g (1/4 Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
• 1 Egg, room temperature
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 200g (1 + 1/2 Cups) Plain/All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 100g (2/3 Cup) Dark Chocolate Chips

Essential Equipment

• Electric Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Whisk + Large Bowl
• Spatula
• Small Baking Tray
• 1 – 2 Large Baking Trays
• Silicone Baking Mat or Baking Paper

Instructions

Advanced Preparation

1. Freeze the Rolos and Little Rolos for 4 hours (or overnight).

Instructions

1. Cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the egg and vanilla, then beat until smooth.
3. Fold in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt until a soft dough forms.
4. Mix through the frozen Rolos, little Rolos and chocolate chips.
5. Roll heaped tablespoons of dough into balls and place on a small lined tray. Freeze for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 180°C / Fan 170°C / 356°F.
6. Line a large tray and space out about six dough balls.
7. Bake 10–12 minutes until golden at the edges. Wait 2 minutes and optionally push any melted caramel back into each cookie with a teaspoon.
8. Cool on the tray for 5–10 minutes until firm enough to transfer, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all cookies are baked.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature and consume within 5–7 days. Layer cookies with baking paper to prevent sticking.

Tips

• Freeze your Rolos for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
• Bring butter and egg to room temperature before starting.
• Use dark chocolate chips to balance sweetness.
• Allow cookies to cool on the tray before transferring to a rack; two trays make batch baking easier.

Recommended Products

• 
  MasterClass Non-Stick Baking Tray 35 x 25 cm
• 
  Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 260Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 115mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g

Nutritional information is a guideline only. Check labels for allergens where applicable.

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