1-First Step: Preheat and Prep: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. This gives it time to reach the right temperature while you mix. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat trust me, it’ll save you from sticky disasters later.

2-Second Step: Cream the Butter and Sugars: Using your electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup tightly packed light brown sugar, and 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture is light and creamy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Why bother? It traps air for fluffier cookies, and who doesn’t want that?

3-Third Step: Add the Wet Ingredients: Crack in 1 egg and mix until it’s fully combined, about 1 minute. Then, stir in 3/4 heaping cup canned pumpkin puree and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Keep mixing until everything is smooth and blended this step infuses that pumpkin flavor we love. Remember, fresh puree makes a difference, so avoid the pie mix if you can.

4-Fourth Step: Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cornstarch, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 tsp salt. Gradually add this to your wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Overmixing is a no-go here; it makes the cookies tough, and nobody wants that.

5-Fifth Step: Fold in the Caramel: Gently fold in 1/2 cup caramel sauce, stirring as little as possible so it stays gooey inside the dough. This is where the fun happens those caramel pockets are what make these cookies irresistible. Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop onto your prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

6-Sixth Step: Add the Finishing Touch: Sprinkle the tops generously with sea salt; it’s the secret that balances all that sweetness. Pop them in the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes. Keep an eye on them they’re done when the edges are golden but the centers are still soft. Let them cool completely on the sheet; rushing this step leads to breakage, and that’s just sad.