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Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Table of Contents
Salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars, with their gooey caramel centers, are so delicious, everyone will be asking you for the recipe. The combination of chocolate chip cookies and chewy caramels is one of the best flavor combinations ever.
If you are looking for more cookie bar recipes, how about our rich Oreo Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Bars, Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars, and Cookie Dough Bars.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Ingredients
You will need:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 11 ounces soft caramels unwrapped
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes (we like Maldon brand)
PRO TIP: text The sea salt flakes are large enough to give a little kick of that salt to these sweet cookie bars. If you don’t have sea salt flakes, you can add ¼ teaspoon of sea salt to the caramel (or more to taste). Skip the additional sea salt over the top of the baked bars.
Substitutions and Additions
COOKIE DOUGH: You could also use pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough in this great recipe. You will probably need two large rolls of dough to fill the 9×13 pan. Instead, if you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, you could use that in this recipe.
CARAMEL SAUCE: You can also use homemade caramel sauce. Be sure it is a soft set caramel sauce. Melting the caramel candies with the sweetened condensed milk makes a thick layer of ultra-gooey, smooth caramel, and it’s really just perfect in these bars. You could also opt to use store-bought salted caramel sauce. If you do, omit mixing in the flaked sea salt.
How to Make Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray.
PRO TIP: Lining the pan with overhanging parchment paper will make cleaning up a snap and lifting these scrumptious bars out of the pan to cut into squares much easier.
STEP TWO: Beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer for 1 to 2 minutes.
STEP THREE: Add the eggs and vanilla extract then beat together at high speed for at least 5 minutes longer.
STEP FOUR: Mix together the flour, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Add to the creamed mixture and beat just until combined.
STEP FIVE: Add in 2 cups of chocolate chips and beat a few seconds longer to evenly distribute them in the dough.
STEP SIX: Place the dough into the refrigerator while preparing the caramel (this will firm the dough up a bit to make it easier to press into the pan).
STEP SEVEN: Unwrap all of the caramel candies and place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the caramels. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently until caramels are fully melted, and the mixture is smooth (about 8 to 10 minutes). Remove from heat.
STEP EIGHT: Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt flakes and stir into the caramel mixture.
PRO TIP: The exact amount of salt depends entirely on how salty you want your salted caramel to be. I advise adding the salt gradually – you can always add more, but cannot take it away!
STEP NINE: Press half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 pan. If the dough is too sticky, use a spatula or a sheet of plastic wrap to press down the cookie dough layer.
STEP TEN: Spread the caramel mixture in an even layer over the cookie dough base.
STEP ELEVEN: Sprinkle the other half of the cookie dough mixture in small pieces over the caramel layer, covering most of the surface.
STEP TWELVE: Bake for 25 minutes or until the center of the cookie dough is set.
STEP THIRTEEN: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with another ½ to 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes.
STEP FOURTEEN: Cool completely then cut into bars and serve.
How to Serve Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These cookie bars are perfect for potlucks, picnics, movie nights, or just a quiet evening at home. These bars are equally as heavenly whether you serve them warm or at room temperature. Completely delicious all on their own, you could take them even further over the top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a bigger dessert treat.
Storage
ON THE COUNTER: Cover these caramel cookie bars with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Freeze these chocolate chip salted caramel cookie bars in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars take a chocolate chip cookie dough base, add a rich gooey salted caramel layer, and then top that with even more cookie dough goodness before getting baked into a decadent treat. Sticky chocolate chip bars oozing with a buttery caramel filling take your favorite cookie bars to a whole new level. You will want to make these bars over and over again.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I store these bars?
This cookie bar recipe can be stored on the counter for up to seven days. If your kitchen is fairly warm, you may want to pop them in the refrigerator so they don’t get too gooey.
Can I freeze these bars?
These easy recipe bars freeze really well and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Can I use salted caramel sauce?
If you would prefer to use store-bought salted caramel sauce instead of melting caramels for these sea salt chocolate chip cookie bars, just make sure to omit the extra sea salt.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 11 ounces soft caramels unwrapped
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes we like Maldon brand
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray.
- Beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract then beat together at high speed for at least 5 minutes longer.
- Mix together the flour, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Add to the creamed mixture and beat just until combined.
- Add in 2 cups of chocolate chips and beat a few seconds longer to evenly distribute them in the dough.
- Place the dough into the refrigerator while preparing the caramel (this will firm the dough up a bit to make it easier to press into the pan).
- Unwrap all of the caramel candies and place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the caramels. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently until caramels are fully melted, and the mixture is smooth (about 8 to 10 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt flakes and stir into the caramel mixture.
- Press half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 pan. If the dough is too sticky, use a spatula or a sheet of plastic wrap to press down the cookie dough layer.
- Spread the caramel mixture in an even layer over the cookie dough base.
- Sprinkle the other half of the cookie dough mixture in small pieces over the caramel layer, covering most of the surface.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the center of the cookie dough is set.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with another ½ to 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes.
- Cool completely then cut into bars and serve.
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