These Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a too-good-to-be-true combination of (almost) everyone’s favorite ingredients – caramel and chocolate chips.
Imagine layer upon layer of soft-batch chocolate chip cookie dough sandwiching a swath of buttery, delicious homemade caramel and all topped with a smattering of sea salt flakes. It’s pure perfection in each bite – sweet, salty and chewy rolled into one!
Trust us, not only will you love these bars but so will your friends and family so if you’re planning on making them for your next get-together, be sure to bake enough for everyone to have seconds – or thirds!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Unsalted Butter. This ingredient is the base. It’s what will give the bars their distinctive soft and rich texture.
Brown Sugar. Needed to enhance the sweetness and impart just a touch of molasses richness.
Vanilla Extract. Vanilla extract is another enhancer that we can’t do without. It adds depth and a heavenly aroma to the dessert.
Eggs. Provide the structure the bars need as well as much needed moisture. Because of this, our bars will stay tender and soft.
All-Purpose Flour. You can think of it as the backbone of our treat, giving them the substance they need.
Baking Soda. Helps the bars to rise and also gives them a tender crumb.
Sea Salt Flakes. Adds another dimension of flavor to the caramel. Just a hint of salt is all it takes to deliver that gourmet touch of class.
Semisweet Chocolate Chips. It wouldn’t be the same dessert without the pockets of chocolatey goodness in every crack and crevice of the bars.
Evaporated Milk. The secret to a velvety smooth caramel. Imparts an unmistakable smoothness to the caramel, giving it a velvety mouthfeel.
Soft Caramels. Like the chocolate chips, caramel is a must-have for this decadent dessert. Ooey, gooey goodness melts into luscious layers making each bite unforgettable.
| Ingredient | Description |
|---|---|
| Unsalted Butter | Base for soft and rich texture. |
| Brown Sugar | Adds sweetness with a touch of molasses richness. |
| Vanilla Extract | Enhances depth and aroma. |
| Eggs | Provides structure and moisture for tender bars. |
| All-Purpose Flour | The backbone, giving substance to the treat. |
| Baking Soda | Helps bars rise and ensures a tender crumb. |
| Sea Salt Flakes | Adds a gourmet touch to the caramel. |
| Semisweet Chocolate Chips | Pockets of chocolatey goodness throughout the bars. |
| Evaporated Milk | Secret to velvety smooth caramel. |
| Soft Caramels | Essential for ooey, gooey layers in the dessert. |
Whipping Up Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. While it’s warming up, line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper.
For easy removal later, leave some overhang. Grease the foil or paper lightly.
Butter Blend. Take a large bowl and cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
You’ll want to keep blending it until it’s smooth. Once it’s well-mixed, beat the eggs in one at a time. Keep beating them until the are incorporated fully.
Dry Mix. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt flakes. Once it’s mixed, gradually add it to the wet mixture from the previous step.
Stir it in until it is just combined. Once it is, stir the chocolate chips in also.
Base Layer. Add half of the dough you’ve made to the baking dish and press it down evenly.
Caramel Creation. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the evaporated milk and unwrapped caramels. Continually stir the caramels until they melt. You want them as smooth as possible.
Layer It Up. Pour the caramel over the pressed cookie dough in the baking dish. Add the remaining cookie dough in dollops, about the size of a teaspoon.
Baking Brilliance. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. The top should be golden brown. The caramel should be bubbling.
Finishing Touch. Remove it from the oven and add some sprinkles of sea salt flakes.
Cool and Cut. Now comes the hard part – waiting! Allow the bars to cool off until they reach room temperature.
Take hold of the foil or paper overhang and lift them out. Slice them up and serve!
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Prep | Preheat oven to 350°F. Line and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. |
| Butter Blend | Cream butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs one by one. |
| Dry Mix | Whisk flour, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Gradually add to wet mix. Stir in chocolate chips. |
| Base Layer | Press half the dough evenly into the baking dish. |
| Caramel Creation | Melt caramels with evaporated milk in a saucepan until smooth. |
| Layer It Up | Pour caramel over dough. Add remaining dough in teaspoon-sized dollops. |
| Baking Brilliance | Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. |
| Finishing Touch | Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top after baking. |
| Cool and Cut | Let bars cool to room temperature. Lift out, slice, and serve. |
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes and some extra for sprinkling
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 10 ounces soft caramels unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. While it’s warming up, line a 9×13-inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper. For easy removal later, leave some overhang. Grease the foil or paper lightly.
- Take a large bowl and cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. You'll want to keep blending it until it's smooth.
- Once it's well-mixed, beat the eggs in one at a time. Keep beating them until the are incorporated fully.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt flakes. Once it's mixed, gradually add it to the wet mixture from the previous step. Stir it in until it is just combined. Stir the chocolate chips in also.
- Add half of the dough you’ve made to the baking dish and press it down evenly.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the evaporated milk and unwrapped caramels. Continually stir the caramels until they melt. You want them as smooth as possible.
- Pour the caramel over the pressed cookie dough in the baking dish. Add the remaining cookie dough in dollops, about the size of a teaspoon.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes. The top should be golden brown. The caramel should be bubbling.
- Remove it from the oven and add some sprinkles of sea salt flakes.
- Now comes the hard part – waiting! Allow the bars to cool off until they reach room temperature. Take hold of the foil or paper overhang and lift them out. Slice them up and serve!
Nutrition
Hi there! I’m Audrey, a dessert enthusiast and a self-proclaimed chocoholic. I’ve been baking since I was a little girl, and I’ve turned that passion into a career as a freelance writer. I believe that there’s always room for dessert, especially if it’s chocolate! When I’m not writing or baking, you can find me at the local farmers market or planning my next culinary adventure.
