Description
Delicious caramel cookie bars featuring a buttery chocolate chip cookie crust and a rich, gooey caramel layer sandwiched in between. Perfect as a decadent dessert or sweet snack, these bars offer a delightful combination of textures and flavors with a crisp edge and chewy center.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Layers:
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup (112g) light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup (52g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (211g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Caramel Layer:
- 32 unwrapped Kraft caramel squares
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined without overmixing.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Use a silicone spatula to fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly into the cookie dough.
- Melt Caramel Layer: In a small pot over medium-low heat, melt the caramel squares and unsalted butter together, stirring constantly until smooth. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Press Bottom Dough Layer: Press two-thirds of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared baking pan to create a base layer.
- Add Caramel Layer: Pour the melted caramel mixture evenly over the pressed cookie dough base.
- Top with Remaining Dough: Drop flattened bits of the remaining cookie dough over the caramel layer, distributing evenly and pressing some dough along the sides to seal the layer.
- Bake: Bake for 22 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
Notes
- If using Werther’s caramels instead of Kraft, use 41 unwrapped caramels and reduce butter to 6 tablespoons.
- Ensure the caramel layer cools slightly before pouring it over the cookie dough to prevent melting the base dough.
- Press cookie dough evenly to create a sturdy crust and to hold the caramel layer in place.
- Use parchment paper with overhang for easy removal of bars from the pan after baking.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
