Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar until the mixture is light and smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then blend in the vanilla extract.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined.

Fold in the candy corn gently, reserving some pieces for pressing onto the cookie tops if desired.

Divide the dough into roughly 24 portions of about 2 tablespoons each. Flatten each portion, place one soft caramel in the center, and completely enclose the candy with dough.

Arrange the dough balls several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few reserved candy-corn pieces on top, and chill the wrapped dough balls for 20–30 minutes if the dough feels soft.

Bake for 10–12 minutes per batch, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft.

Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Be careful, since the caramel remains extremely hot after baking.