Description
These Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars combine soft, chewy cookie dough with rich caramel and a hint of sea salt for the perfect balance of sweet and salty in every bite. Easy to make with simple ingredients, they bake into a deliciously decadent dessert bar ideal for sharing or indulging.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Caramel Layer
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring there is an overhang on the sides to easily lift out the bars later.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition for a smooth batter. Stir in the vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing and keep the dough tender.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the cookie dough gently to distribute them evenly.
- Layer Dough: Spread half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the bottom layer.
- Add Caramel: Drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the dough layer, then sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top to enhance the caramel flavor.
- Top with Remaining Dough: Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough over the caramel layer and gently spread it as evenly as possible to cover the caramel.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cookie layer comes out with a few moist crumbs, ensuring the bars are perfectly baked but still gooey.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift them out before cutting into bars. Optionally, sprinkle additional flaky sea salt on top before serving to heighten the salted caramel experience.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for better mixing and improved texture in the cookie dough.
- If the caramel sauce is too runny, chill it slightly before layering to prevent it from sinking into the dough.
- For cleaner slices, cool the bars completely and optionally refrigerate before cutting.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for extended freshness.
