Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – A layer of salted caramel sauce is sandwiched between layers of a favorite chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, then topped with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.
Over the last handful of years, I’ve become completely obsessed with salted caramel.
Ice cream? Pass me a spoon.
Popcorn, Pretzel & Peanut Bars? Hand me at least three, please.
Brownies? You may as well just give me the entire pan.
Growing up, I never gravitated to caramel sauce as a topping option, sticking with hot fudge as my old standby. Perhaps it was because I never had great caramel sauce, and it always seemed sickeningly sweet to me. However, once I tried my hand at a homemade salted caramel sauce, I did a complete 180.
Now, combine salty caramel with a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and you have something I absolutely, positively cannot stop eating.
How to Make Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
In this particular instance, I adapted one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes into bars, added a layer of salted caramel sauce in the middle, and then sprinkled the top with more flaked sea salt, just for good measure.
Kudos to Maria over at Two Peas and Their Pod for creating such an amazing concoction. She really is the cookie queen!
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These salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars are incredibly easy to throw together, thanks to a shortcut caramel sauce.
If you’d prefer to use a homemade salted caramel sauce, that will definitely work! Just make sure you let it thicken up a bit, and then use enough for a thin layer over the cookie dough.
These set up and keep for me perfectly at room temperature, but if your house or kitchen is a little on the warm side, you may need to pop them in the refrigerator to allow the caramel layer to set and to keep them from getting too messy once you cut and store them.
And on that note, these are an excellent candidate for freezing. I would just cut them, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and then pop them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. I need to get a batch in my freezer for upcoming nights on the couch snuggling a newborn and Netflix-ing!
If you love chocolate chip cookies, caramel sauce, and sweet and salty combinations, you absolutely, positively have to make these salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars. They will become one of your favorite desserts (or snacks, or breakfast *ahem*).
Enjoy!!
One year ago: White Chocolate-Coconut Brownies
Two years ago: Oven-Fried Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce
Five years ago: Maple-Hazelnut Oatmeal
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ cups (265.63 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (360 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 10 ounces (283.5 g) caramel candy squares, unwrapped
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Fleur de sel, or other sea salt, for sprinkling over caramel and bars
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square pan and line with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, mix together the melted butter and sugars on medium speed until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the caramels and heavy cream. Microwave on high until the caramels are melted, stirring every 20 seconds. This will take about 2 minutes.
- Press half of the cookie dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Pour the hot caramel over the dough cookie dough and spread into an even layer, leaving about ½ inch around the border. Sprinkle the caramel with sea salt. Drop the remaining cookie dough in spoonfuls over the caramel and gently spread the dough with a spatula until the caramel is covered. Sprinkle the bars with additional sea salt.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the bars are light golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the pan. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the caramel layer to set. Cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on February 22, 2012.
How long can you store in fridge?
Hi Sue, I’d say up to a week!
Could you use caramel sauce ? Like the sauce they sell that you use on top of ice cream.
Thanks
Hi Betty, Yes you could!
I just made these bar and WOW!!! I first had a salted caramel white chocolate cookie a few weeks ago and wanted to recreate them. I tried a cookie recipe and it just wasn’t right. But one thing I determined thru baking these cookies that white chocolate chips were not right. Then I returned to you!! I found this recipe and it sounded just right.
Well, with hope, I made them. And they were great!! I ended up making them with white chocolate chunks. I mixed caramels, caramel sauce and half and half, as I was out of whipping cream.
Then I under baked them. I love underbaked cookies, but wasn’t intending to underbake these. I set the timer for 30 but they weren’t ready. Ultimately, they baked for 38 minutes and I took them out. And they are PERFECT!!!!!
Thank you!!
would these ship well to a collage student? In Texas from Indiana
Hi Sharon, Yes, they would definitely ship well!
Do you think I can use homemade caramel in place of the store bought caramels?
Hi Liz, Yes, definitely. I would do about 3/4 cup.
Can I substitute heavy cream for sour cream?
Hi Clare, I would not recommend that, as the resulting caramel sauce may not be the correct consistency.
Hi Michele, why would I have to add a pinch of salt of I use salted Butter? Your recipe calls for unsalted butter. Just trying to make sure I have all the details before making this on Sunday.
The recipe calls for unsalted butter; can we use salted Butter? If yes, why do I have to add a pinch of salt? Just trying to understand the recipe before I make it this weekend. I did actually buy unsalted butter so do I have to add a pinch of salt with the unsalted butter?
Can we use regular butter for the Salted Caramel chocolate chip cookie bars?
Hi Therese, Yes, but you’ll want to add a pinch of salt to the dough.
These bars were a bit too much for me. I could tell that 2 cups of chocolate chips were too much for the dough so I added 1 1/2 cups. Still too much. I think 1 cup would be sufficient. I would use less caramel too. My bars were fully baked and they came out so flipping gooey. To me, they taste really underbaked and they are not. I would try again but with less chips and caramel.
These were incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ca.n I use canned caramel ie sweeten condensed caramel. Thabks
Hi Paula, No, that is totally different from the caramel sauce in the filling.
I made these as cookie bars and they were a huge hit! I have now started using this recipe as my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. Cookies stay soft, and spread beautifully! I highly recommend this recipe, I think the melted butter is the key.
These are OK. They are certainly not any better than a soft chocolate chip cookie. Caramel just makes them soft but you can’t really taste it. I would not bother to make them again.
Made these but substituted gluten free flour. Delicious. Didnt Let Them Cool. Served Gooey With Ice Cream.
So awesome to hear the gluten-free flour worked! Thanks for sharing your review, and love how you served them!
Warm with ice cream sounds YUMMY!
Is there a high altitude part for this recipe? I have missed that high altitude instructions before on cookies and they came out all run together in a cookie mess!
Hi Toni, I don’t live at high altitude, so I can’t give specific recommendations for this recipe, but I do have a pretty comprehensive post with tips on adjusting different types of recipes for high altitude: https://apex-male.info/high-altitude-baking-tips/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I thought they were going to be more complicated then they were. They were pretty easy , and sooo good!! I am making more for a party I’m going to.
So happy to hear you found these easy and delicious, Dawn! :)
How much is 1/8 of a cup and does it make a difference in the finished product?
1/8 of a cup is 2 tablespoons. But it is better to measure by weight, since the density of flour varies by brand. You can get a decent kitchen scale for less than $20. You need one!
Hi Judy, Yes, it’s 2 tablespoons and I would definitely include it, as your batter may not set up quite enough.
I made these to share after church last Sunday and they were terrific! I’m adding this to my favorite recipes. I used dark chocolate chips and Stella Parks’ homemade caramel recipe.
Hello!
Can you use just caramel topping, that you buy in the jar, rather than melting the candy down?
Hi Sam, I think that should work okay, although it could be thinner or thicker than the one in the recipe.
Hi,
This sounds delish and I am going to make for my friends birthday, I know she’ll love it! Csn inuse anything else in lieu of heavy cream?
Hi Lindsey, Half and half MIGHT work, but the caramel may not be as thick.
Just wanted to let you know, I have made these bars so many times. They are a huge hit every time! I don’t know how many people I’ve had to give the recipe too! Thank you
Can this recipe be doubled and made in a 9×13 inch pan?
Hi Linda, Yes, absolutely!
Making these this weekend! Look delish!!!!!
What size pan would I use if I double this recipe? 13×9 doesn’t seem big enough-
Thank you!
Hi Anne, Yes, I would recommend a 9×13 if you double this recipe. Enjoy!
Made these tonight, didnt turn out right but nothing ever does for me. Still delicious though!
I made these bars on the weekend and everyone loved them.
Hi Marilyn, So happy to hear these were a hit! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop back and leave a review!
Hey there! So I have a quick question – I made a batch of salted peanut butter caramel last night that I want to use for this recipe. About how much caramel would you recommend I use for the filling? I know I can just eyeball it but wanted to double check with the expert :) Thanks!
Ooooooh that sounds FABULOUS! I would use about 1/2 cup. Enjoy! :)
Made this recipe! Loved it except I found the chocolate chips over powered the caramel taste. Next time I might put 1 1/2 cups instead of 2. I will definitely make this again!
Mad3 this recipe! Loved it except I found the chocolate chips over powered the caramel taste. Next time I might put 1 1/2 cups instead of 2. I will definitely make this again!