Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then blend in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix only until the dough comes together. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks so they are evenly distributed without overmixing.

Scoop roughly 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Flatten one portion, place a soft caramel in the center, cover it with another portion of dough, pinch the edges firmly closed, and gently roll into a ball.

Arrange the stuffed cookie balls several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If the dough feels soft or sticky, chill the shaped cookies for 20–30 minutes before baking.

Bake for 10–13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly underdone. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a rack, because the caramel remains extremely hot after baking.