These caramel cookie bars are a fun twist on a classic!

Soft-batch, chocolate chip cookie dough is sandwiched around a generous layer of buttery, homemade caramel to give these bars a salty, sweet, and wonderfully chewy texture.

How to Make These Caramel Cookie Bars

To make sure these cookie bars turn out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together! I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below.

I figured it might be helpful to know what tools I use too, so I’ve shared a list below too.

Not all of these are mandatory, but they make the process a lot easier.

If you don’t have all these things on hand, feel free to improvise and work with what you have.

• Small Saucepan
• Rubber Spatula
• Electric Mixer
• 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch Metal Pan

Step 1: Make the Caramel

Make the caramel filling first so that it has time to cool before being added between the cookie dough layers. It can also be made up to a month in advance and stored in the fridge.

Making caramel from scratch might seem a little intimidating, but I promise it’s easier than you’d think!

Place a saucepan over medium heat and pour in the sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time.

Wait until the sugar is mostly dissolved, then add in the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts it will slowly deepen in color.

Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and has become a deep amber color, then turn off the heat.

Slowly mix in the butter, followed by the heavy cream and salt.

Then mix in the white chocolate chips and stir until they’re fully melted.

The caramel should be pretty thick. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough

Next, we make the cookie dough. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch metal pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Use a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment or a large bowl and hand mixer to cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.

Beat for a couple minutes, until the mixture is lighter in color and looks fluffy.

Mix in the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract on a medium speed until combined.

Then add in the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until just combined, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.

Mix in your favorite type of chocolate chips on a low speed until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 3: Layer the Cookie Dough and Caramel

Then comes the fun part, layering these bars! Press 2/3 of the cookie dough (about 730g) into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Press it a little bit up the edges of the pan to prevent the caramel from sticking to the side of the pan.

Pour the cooled caramel over the cookie dough.

It should be thick, but still fluid enough to spread out with a spoon or offset spatula to create an even layer.

Crumble the remaining cookie dough on top of the caramel with your hands.

Step 4: Bake the Bars and Fully Cool Them

Bake for 27-32 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden brown.

I over-baked this batch a bit and accidentally let the entire top get brown! I recommend pulling them out of the oven when just the edges are golden brown. That will guarantee they are soft and chewy.

Place the baking pan on a wire cooling rack and let the bars cool in the pan for a couple hours, or place directly in the freezer and chill for an hour.

It’s important that you let the bars cool fully before cutting in, or else the caramel will ooze out of them as you cut them!

Use the parchment paper to lift the cookie bars out of the pan, then cut into squares and enjoy.

These caramel cookie bars can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container.

Substitutions and Swaps – Caramel Cookie Bars

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
• Heavy Cream – Heavy whipping cream can be used too, or coconut cream if you need to make a dairy free version. Milk cannot be substituted; it will throw off the consistency of the caramel.
• White Chocolate – The white chocolate is crucial for thickening and stabilizing the caramel in this recipe. I do not recommend reducing the amount. If you’re not a fan of white chocolate, don’t worry! You really can’t taste it in the caramel, it’s solely there to thicken it.
• Brown Sugar – I prefer using light brown sugar, but you can also use dark brown sugar if needed.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend changing the type or reducing the amount of sugar because it will change the texture and flavor of the bars.
• Large Eggs – If you have an egg allergy, you can try using flaxseed eggs or a vegan egg replacer.
• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
• Chocolate Chips – Milk, white, or dark / semi-sweet chocolate can be used to make these bars. Feel free to have fun with the shape you use too! Mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or chocolate couvertures will all work great.

Caramel Cookie Bar Troubleshooting & FAQs

While I’d love to think everyone’s cookie bars will turn out perfectly every time, I know that sometimes things don’t go to plan. Below are some tips and advice to help!

Why Did the Center of My Cookie Bars Sink?

In order for our cookie bars to be soft and chewy, we want the edges to be set but the center to be soft when we remove them from the oven.

However, this naturally causes the center of the cookie bars to sink a bit as they cool. This is totally normal!

If it bothers you that the edges are raised higher than the center, you can always trim away the edges to make your squares more equal in height. I usually do this when I’m photographing a recipe and then snack on the edges 🙂

Why Did the Caramel Seep Out of My Bars?

There can be a few reasons why the caramel might seep out of these caramel cookie bars. The first is that there was too much dough on top of the caramel.

It’s important that you add 2/3 of the dough beneath the caramel layer and only 1/3 of the dough on top. Otherwise, the weight of the dough can push the caramel outward toward the edges of the pan.

Another reason could be that you didn’t let the bars cool fully before cutting them. When I was recipe testing, I accidentally did this, only to watch the caramel slowly ooze out of each bar once they were cut.

The caramel should be thick enough not to flow out completely when cooled, but it will kind of overflow and ruin the clean look of each square if it’s still warm. Make sure the bars are completely cool in the center or chill the bars in the freezer briefly before cutting them.

Another cause could be that the caramel wasn’t cooked enough. Caramelizing the sugar affects its viscosity, and the longer you cook the caramel, the chewier and thicker it will be at room temperature.

While adding the white chocolate helps stabilize the caramel, it’s also important that the sugar is a deep amber color and that all the sugar is melted before mixing in the butter and cream.

How Do I Know When My Caramel Cookie Bars Are Done?

Every oven bakes a bit differently and the time it will take your bars to bake can vary. Some ovens also have hot spots, so I recommend rotating the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.

The best way to tell when they’re done is to look at the edges of the cookie bars. They should look set and be golden brown in color.

I like to pull the bars out before the entire top of the cookie dough is golden brown.

If the bars seem to brown a lot on top before they reach the recommended bake time or look severely underbaked, you might want to test your oven with an oven thermometer and see if the temperature is accurate. I once had an oven that ran hot by 50 degrees F!

Making These Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars in Advance

These caramel cookie bars can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container.

You can also freeze these bars for up to two months! I like to freeze the whole sheet of bars, then cut them once they’re thawed. Freeze the bars on a sheet pan until they’re firm to the touch, then wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil.

You can also cut them and wrap them individually before freezing them.

When you want to enjoy the bars, set them out overnight to thaw, then unwrap and enjoy them the following day.

How to Make the Best Caramel Cookie Bars

• Be sure the ingredients are at room temperature. It helps them mix together better.
• Make sure you properly measure your flour! I like to use a scale, but the fluff and level method works great too.
• Bake these cookie bars in a metal pan, not a glass pan. Glass gets hotter than metal pans. If you have to bake these in a glass pan, bake them at 325 F / 162 C.
• Don’t over-bake these bars. Unlike cake layers, a toothpick inserted into the center won’t come out clean when they’re done. You’ll know when they’re done when the edges are set and golden brown.
• Add a sprinkle of flakey sea salt once these come out of the oven to make them taste even more amazing.
• Wait until these cookie bars are fully cooled before cutting into them! It will make them much easier to cut and prevent the caramel from seeping out. Or better yet, chill the bars in the fridge or freezer to get super clean cuts and use a warm knife.
• If you want to make this recipe in a 9 x 13-inch pan, double the recipe and bake at 350 F / 175 C for 25-30 minutes.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this caramel cookie bar recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so I can see your amazing creations!

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