Description
These Easy Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars take your classic chocolate chip cookie and kick it up a notch with a thick, gooey caramel filling.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
For the Caramel Layer:
- 1 (11 oz) bag soft caramel candies (about 35 caramels, unwrapped)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt (optional, but adds a great balance!)
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 2: Make the Caramel Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the caramels and heavy cream. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth and melted. Stir in the salt (if using).
Step 3: Assemble the Bars
- Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the dough, spreading it evenly.
- Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough on top of the caramel layer, gently spreading it out (don’t worry if some caramel peeks through!).
Step 4: Bake & Cool
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are set.
- Let the bars cool completely before slicing—this helps the caramel set up!