Description

These Gooey Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars combine the classic flavors of rich chocolate chips and buttery cookie dough with a luscious layer of melted salted caramel. Perfectly soft in the center with a gooey caramel swirl and a hint of flaked sea salt, these bars are a decadent dessert you’ll love for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

1 cup Salted Butter (can substitute with unsalted butter for less salt)
1 cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
½ cup Granulated White Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (opt for pure vanilla for more intensity)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (reduce to ¾ teaspoons if using table salt)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2½ cups All-Purpose Flour (swap with a gluten-free flour blend if needed)
2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (feel free to swap with dark or milk chocolate)

Caramel Layer

1 14-ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk (no direct substitute available)
10 ounces Soft Caramels (unwrapped; homemade caramel works as a substitute)
1 teaspoon Flaked Sea Salt (regular salt can be used, but avoid coarse salt)

Instructions

Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and grease it to prevent sticking.
Mix butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of salted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated white sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and flavorings: Add 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until smooth and fully incorporated.
Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2½ cups all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined, careful to not overmix the dough.
Fold in chocolate chips: Using a spatula, gently fold in 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly into the dough.
Press first layer: Reserve about ¾ of the cookie dough and press it evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the base layer.
Prepare caramel layer: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk with 10 ounces of unwrapped soft caramels. Stir continuously until melted and smooth, about 5-7 minutes.
Layer caramel: Pour approximately ¾ of the warm caramel mixture over the pressed cookie dough in the pan, spreading it evenly.
Add remaining dough: Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough over the caramel layer in an uneven pattern to create a marbled effect.
Bake the bars: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly soft to touch.
Add sea salt: As soon as you remove the bars from the oven, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flaked sea salt evenly over the warm top surface.
Cool and serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before lifting out using the foil and cutting into squares for serving.

Notes

Using salted butter and kosher salt helps enhance the salted caramel flavor, but you can reduce salt if desired.
Be careful not to overmix the dough to maintain tender, chewy bars.
The caramel layer should be poured warm but not hot to avoid melting the cookie dough.
If you prefer, swap all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend to make it gluten-free.
Homemade caramel can be used instead of store-bought soft caramels for a more natural flavor.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Salted caramel bars, chocolate chip cookie bars, gooey caramel cookies, easy dessert bars, chocolate caramel bars