Name: Gooey Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars You’ll Love
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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 gluten-free flour blend if needed); 1 14-ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk (for the filling, no direct substitute); 10 ounces Soft Caramels, unwrapped (homemade caramel works as a substitute); 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (feel free to swap with dark or milk chocolate); 1 teaspoon Flaked Sea Salt (regular salt can be used, avoid coarse salt)

Description

These Gooey Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a decadent treat featuring a buttery cookie base, gooey caramel filling, and chocolate chips topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. Perfect for dessert lovers, they’re rich, sweet, and irresistibly chewy.

Ingredients

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 gluten-free flour blend if needed)
1 14-ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk (for the filling, no direct substitute)
10 ounces Soft Caramels, unwrapped (homemade caramel works as a substitute)
2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (feel free to swap with dark or milk chocolate)
1 teaspoon Flaked Sea Salt (regular salt can be used, avoid coarse salt)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Gradually add to wet ingredients until just combined.
Spread half of the cookie dough evenly in the prepared pan.
For the filling, heat sweetened condensed milk and caramels in a saucepan over low heat until smooth and combined. Pour over the cookie dough layer.
Drop the remaining cookie dough by spoonfuls over the caramel layer. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges are golden and center is set.
Remove from oven and sprinkle flaked sea salt on top. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Enjoy!

Notes

For extra gooey bars, slightly underbake them and let cool completely in the pan.
You can use homemade caramel instead of store-bought for richer flavor.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American