Description
Indulge in these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, a perfect blend of gooey caramel, rich chocolate chips, and a buttery cookie base. These bars are easy to make, ideal for dessert or a sweet snack, and feature a delightful sprinkle of flaky sea salt to balance the sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins and Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup soft caramel candies, unwrapped or thick caramel sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt until fully combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted and cooled unsalted butter with the packed brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Form Cookie Dough: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet butter and sugar mixture, stirring until a thick cookie dough forms. Fold in the semi sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Layer Dough and Caramel: Press about two-thirds of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, creating a smooth base layer. Evenly sprinkle the soft caramel candies over this base, or alternatively drizzle thick caramel sauce evenly across.
- Add Remaining Dough: Drop the remaining cookie dough in small pieces over the caramel layer, distributing it as evenly as possible to cover most of the caramel.
- Bake: Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bars are set.
- Finish with Salt: Remove the bars from the oven and immediately sprinkle them with flaky sea salt to enhance the caramel flavor.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan so the caramel sets properly. Once cooled, slice into 16 bars and serve.
Notes
- For cleaner slicing, allow the bars to cool fully so the caramel can firm up and hold its shape.
- If using caramel candies, cutting them in half helps ensure they melt evenly during baking.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days to maintain freshness.
