Caramel Cookie Bars
If you love buttery, chocolatey desserts, these Caramel Cookie Bars are going to be your new favorite treat. Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie dough, sandwiched between homemade caramel, and finished with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
What makes these chocolate chip cookie bars so special is the homemade caramel. It’s smooth, creamy, and melts perfectly between the cookie layers. And don’t worry, making caramel at home is easier than you think, even if you’ve never done it before. I’ll be sharing step by step instructions along with some helpful tips to make sure your caramel turns out perfectly every time.
Love chocolate chip cookies? You’ll also enjoy my Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies and Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect texture- Soft, chewy cookie layers with just the right amount of golden edges make these bars so satisfying to bite into.
- Not overly sweet- The homemade caramel sauce is decadent, but not overly sweet, and the cookie layers have just the right amount of chocolate chips so it’s not too chocolate-heavy.
- Crowd-pleaser- These bars are so simple to make, cut into squares, and serve at parties, bake sales, or family gatherings.
- Flaky sea salt- Sprinkling a little flaky sea salt on top really brings out the chocolate flavor and complements the caramel perfectly.
- Approachable for home bakers- Don’t let homemade caramel scare you! This recipe uses simple ingredients, with straightforward instructions. It really is a hard one to mess up.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Granulated and brown sugar- Using a mixture of both really is the secret to the perfect cookie. The white sugar sweetens the dough, while the brown sugar adds moisture, chewiness, and a rich caramel-like flavor.
- All-purpose flour- For best results, measure correctly using the spoon and level method to avoid dense cookies. See more in the tips below.
- Baking soda- Helps the cookies spread and gives them a tender texture. Always check the expiration date on your baking soda.
- Salt- Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate and caramel flavors.
- Eggs- Pull your eggs from the refrigerator 2 hours before mixing. Room temperature eggs mix more evenly into the dough.
- Vanilla- I use vanilla bean paste, but you can also use pure vanilla extract.
- Unsalted butter- Make sure to allow your butter to soften at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips- Choose good-quality chocolate chips for the best flavor. I don’t recommend using milk chocolate, as it can make the cookie bars too sweet.
- Heavy cream- Make sure it’s at room temperature before adding it to the caramel. Cold cream can cause the sauce to seize or harden, so using room-temp cream helps create a smooth caramel sauce.
Homemade Caramel Made Easy
Making homemade caramel might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Back when I worked at a bakery, I made caramel sauce almost every week, and overtime I picked up some really valuable tips that make it completely foolproof.
- Use the right pan- A heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan is ideal. It heats evenly and lets you see the color of the caramel clearly.
- Stay close- Caramel can go from perfect to burnt in seconds, so keep at eye on it the entire time.
- Keep the heat steady- Cook over medium-low heat, then adjust as needed. Lower the heat if the sugar is browning too quickly, or raise it slightly if it’s taking too long to melt.
- Swirl, don’t stir- Gently swirl the pan to mix the sugar as it melts, instead of using utensils. This helps prevent sugar crystals from forming and keeps the caramel perfectly smooth.
- Sugar crystals- If you notice sugar crystals forming around the edges of the pan, just dip a pastry brush in a little water and gently run it along the sides. This moisture melts the crystals and keeps your caramel smooth.
Step By Step Instructions
Caramel Sauce
STEP 1: Melt the sugar. To start, add the sugar at the bottom of a medium-sized, stainless steel saucepan. Swirl it gently to spread evenly across the pan. Then, drizzle in the water and let it sit for about a minute to fully moisten the sugar. Keep the pan over medium-low heat and resist the urge to stir; using a spoon can cause sugar crystals to form along the sides of the pan. Allow the sugar to dissolve until it becomes completely clear, about 5 minutes.
STEP 2: Simmer. Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium. As the caramel starts to take on a golden hue, gently swirl the pan occasionally. Keep an eye on it, once it reaches a light amber or honey color, it’s ready. This usually takes around 5-8 minutes. Be careful not to let it brown too much, or it can taste bitter.
STEP 3: Add the butter. Carefully add the cubed butter a little at a time, while whisking. The mixture will bubble, which is normal. Keep whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.
STEP 4: Add the cream. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking until smooth, then remove from the heat.
STEP 5: Finish and cool. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Then, allow the caramel to cool in the pan before transferring to a container. The caramel will firm up as it cools.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Assembly
STEP 1: Preheat and prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Then, grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over the sides so the cookie bars are easy to lift out after baking.
STEP 2: Cream the butter and sugars. Add the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for 2-3 minutes until light in color and fluffy.
STEP 3: Add the eggs. Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla bean paste, until fully incorporated.
STEP 4: Mix in the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Then, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and give it one final mix.
STEP 5: Add the chocolate chips. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
STEP 6: Assemble. Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan, lightly pressing the dough slightly up the sides. Spread the cooled caramel into an even layer over the dough. Then, drop the remaining cookie dough on top in small pieces.
STEP 7: Bake. Bake the cookie bars for 30 minutes, until the center is just set. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely, then cut and serve.
Tips For Success
- Let the caramel cool before spreading. Warm caramel can melt the cookie dough and make the layers messy. Let it cool completely until it is thick, but spreadable for clean layers.
- Measure the flour correctly. Use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife. This prevents packing too much into the cup, which can make your cookie bars dry and dense instead of soft and chewy.
- Don’t forget the parchment overhang. Let the parchment paper hang over the sides of the pan when lining it. This makes it so much easier to lift the cookie bars out cleanly once they’re cooled.
- Create a caramel barrier. As you press the dough into the bottom of the pan, push a little extra dough up along the sides to help keep the caramel from leaking out and sticking to the sides of the pan.
- Let the cookie bars fully set. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing so the caramel can firm up. Cutting too soon will cause it to ooze out and make a sticky mess. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to speed up the process.
FAQ’s
Yes! Store-bought caramel works perfectly if you don’t want to make it from scratch. Just make sure it’s thick enough to spread easily over the dough without running off the edges.
Yes, you can. Prepare and cool the caramel in advance; store it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. You can make the cookie dough and press the bottom layer into the pan. Wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days. When you’re ready to bake, spread the caramel and top with the remaining dough. You might need to add a couple extra minutes to the baking time.
Absolutely! Chocolate chips are classic, but you can swap in white chocolate, butterscotch chips, or even chopped walnuts or pecans.
The bars are done when the edges are lightly golden brown and center is just set. It will be slightly soft but will firm up as it cools. Avoid over baking to keep them soft and chewy.
Store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to a week. Just allow them to come to room temperature before serving so the caramel stays soft and gooey.
Yes! Cool completely, then cut into bars, and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Did You Make This Recipe
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Caramel Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt, sprinkled on top after baking
Instructions
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- To start, add the sugar at the bottom of a medium-sized, stainless steel saucepan. Swirl it gently to spread evenly across the pan. Then, drizzle in the water and let it sit for about a minute to fully moisten the sugar. Keep the pan over medium-low heat and resist the urge to stir; using a spoon can cause sugar crystals to form along the sides of the pan. Allow the sugar to dissolve until it becomes completely clear, about 5 minutes.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium. As the caramel starts to take on a golden hue, gently swirl the pan occasionally. Keep an eye on it, once it reaches a light amber or honey color, it's ready. This usually takes around 5-8 minutes. Be careful not to let it brown too much, or it can taste bitter.
- Carefully add the cubed butter a little at a time, while whisking. The mixture will bubble, which is normal. Keep whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Slowly stream in the heavy cream while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking until smooth, then remove from the heat.
- Stir in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Then, allow the caramel to cool in the pan before transferring to a container. The caramel will firm up as it cools.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Then, grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over the sides so the cookie bars are easy to lift out after baking.
- Add the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for 2-3 minutes until light in color and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla bean paste, until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Then, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and give it one final mix.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan, lightly pressing the dough slightly up the sides. Spread the cooled caramel into an even layer over the dough. Then, drop the remaining cookie dough on top in small pieces.
- Bake the cookie bars for 30 minutes, until the center is just set. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely, then cut and serve.