Caramel Cookie Bars
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.
Servings: 16
Calories: 462kcal
Ingredients
Caramel Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 85g
- 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 45g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
- 1 cup white chocolate 170g
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar 200g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp 80g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 285g
- 2 tsp cornstarch - optional 18g
- 3/4 tsp baking soda 5g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 1/2 cup dark or milk chocolate chips 240g
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Caramel Filling
- 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 a month in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Place a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Pour in 1 cup of 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 6 Tbsp of butter (2 Tbsp at a time), followed by 3 Tbsp of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Then mix in 1 cup of white chocolate chips. Stir until they're fully melted. The caramel mixture should be pretty thick. Set aside to cool.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Line an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Use a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer to cream together 3/4 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat for about a couple minutes, until the mixture is lighter in color and looks fluffy.
- Mix in 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract on a medium speed until combined.
- Add 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, 3/4 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt into the sugar / egg mixture. Mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Mix in 1 1/2 cups of your favorite type of chocolate chip on a low speed until they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- 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. If you made the caramel in advance, heat it up in 10 second intervals until you're able to spread it over the cookie dough.
- Crumble the remaining cookie dough on top of the caramel with your hands.
- Bake for 27-32 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly.
- 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.
Video
Notes
Substitutions and Swaps
If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out my section on ingredient substitutions above.Making These Caramel 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 I thaw them. 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 four! 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 27-33 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 267mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g