Name: Recipe "Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars"
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2.125 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp baking soda; 12 tbsp butter (melted and cooled to room temperature); 1 cup light brown sugar; 0.5 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 1 large egg yolk; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cup chocolate chips; 10 oz caramel candy squares (unwrapped); 3 tbsp heavy cream; sea salt (for sprinkling over caramel and bars)

Pair this with Crispy Butterfinger Cookies, Fluffernutter Cookies, Dorie’s World Peace Cookies, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake for a full spread.

I’ve always loved chocolate chip cookies, but cookie bars save so much time, no scooping or rolling, just press the dough into a pan. For these bars, I took my favorite chocolate chip cookie bar recipe and added a layer of salted caramel. The result is a sweet, chewy, and gooey bar with that perfect sweet and salty contrast. I press half the dough into the pan, pour over a creamy caramel mixture, sprinkle it with sea salt, then top with the remaining dough. After baking until golden brown, the bars are rich and indulgent, especially if you serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The gooey caramel layer adds a chewy, creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the chocolate chips.
No rolling dough into balls, just press, layer, and bake for an easy cookie bar recipe.
The combination of sweet caramel and flaky sea salt creates an addictive sweet and salty flavor profile.

Caramel candy squares: Use soft, chewy caramels like Kraft. Melting them with heavy cream creates a smooth, pourable sauce that stays soft after baking.
Heavy cream: Thins the caramel just enough to spread easily without making it runny. Don’t substitute milk, the higher fat content is key.
Sea salt: A flaky sea salt like Maldon is ideal for sprinkling. It adds a delicate crunch and bright saltiness that cuts through the sweetness.

2-quart baking pan (11×7 works well; glass Pyrex recommended)
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Large microwave-safe bowl for melting caramel
Spatula for pressing and spreading dough

When pressing the first half of dough into the pan, use a lightly greased spatula or your fingertips to get an even layer, it helps the caramel spread evenly later. For the caramel, microwave in 20-second bursts and stir each time; if you overheat it, the caramel can seize and become grainy. And don’t overbake: the bars are done when the top is light golden brown and the edges just start pulling away. They’ll continue to set as they cool.

Delicious Variations to Try

If you want to switch things up, try using white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate. For extra crunch, fold in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts with the chocolate chips. You can also swap the caramel candies for 10 ounces of homemade soft caramel sauce, just reduce the heavy cream to 2 tablespoons so the sauce is thick enough to layer.

These bars are fantastic on their own, but for a real treat, serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold ice cream melting over the warm caramel and chocolate is pure heaven. You can also cut them into smaller squares and arrange on a platter for parties, they travel well and are always a hit.

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If stacked, place a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. The bars will stay soft and gooey, though they rarely last that long!

Yes! You can freeze the baked bars for up to 3 months. Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. To thaw, leave at room temperature for about an hour, or warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. You can also freeze the unbaked dough: press half into the pan, freeze until solid, then wrap tightly. When ready to bake, add the caramel and remaining dough (thaw the frozen dough slightly first) and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed.

Reheating for That Fresh-Baked Taste

To bring back the gooey texture, reheat individual bars in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. For larger batches, place the bars on a baking sheet and warm in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. This softens the caramel and chocolate without drying out the cookie.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cookie Bars

Can I use a 9×13 pan instead of 11×7?

Yes, but the bars will be thinner. Reduce the baking time slightly and check at 25 minutes. You may need to adjust the dough layers accordingly to cover the bottom.

Why did my caramel layer bubble up and leak out?

This can happen if the caramel is too hot when poured or if the bottom dough layer is too thin. Make sure the caramel is not boiling, and press the dough evenly to seal the edges.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

You can, but reduce the added salt in the dough to 1/4 teaspoon to keep the balance. The recipe calls for unsalted butter to control the salt level.

How many caramels are in 10 ounces?

About 30 individual caramel candy squares, depending on the brand. Kraft caramels are a common choice, unwrap them before melting.

Recipe

Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

Chocolate chip cookie bars with a layer of salted caramel. These gooey sweet and salty cookie bars are pretty much perfection!

mediumVegetarian

15 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

45 min

Total Time

Servings

Dessert

Course

American

Cuisine

483 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

2.125 cup all-purpose flour
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp baking soda
12 tbsp butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
0.5 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg

1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup chocolate chips
10 oz caramel candy squares, unwrapped
3 tbsp heavy cream
sea salt, for sprinkling over caramel and bars

Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking pan (which is an 11 X 7 pan-I used a glass Pyrex dish) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the melted butter and sugars together 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.

4
In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the caramels and heavy cream. Microwave caramels on High until caramels are melted, stirring every 20 seconds. This will take about 2 minutes, depending on your microwave.
5
Divide the cookie dough in half. Press half of the cookie dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula. Pour hot caramel over the cookie dough. Sprinkle caramel with sea salt. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough over the caramel and spread dough with a spatula until the caramel is covered. Sprinkle the bars with additional sea salt.
6
Bake cookie bars for 30 minutes or until the top of the bars are light golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the pan. Cool bars on a wire rack to room temperature. Cut bars into squares and serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

483kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein5%22 kcal

Fat27%135 kcal

Carbohydrates68%331 kcal

How this was calculated — 13 of 13 ingredients matched

all-purpose flourFlour, wheat, all-purpose, enriched, bleached1867 kcal

saltSalt, table0 kcal

baking sodaLeavening agents, baking soda0 kcal

butterButter, salted1291 kcal

light brown sugarSugars, brown912 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated462 kcal

large eggEgg, whole, raw, fresh1 kcal

large egg yolkEgg, yolk, raw, fresh3 kcal

vanilla extractVanilla extract29 kcal

chocolate chipsSnacks, M&M MARS, KUDOS Whole Grain Bar, chocolate chip2016 kcal

caramel candy squaresCandies, TWIZZLERS Strawberry Twists Candy987 kcal

heavy creamCream, fluid, heavy whipping153 kcal

sea saltSalt, table0 kcal

Serving size ≈ 117 g · 16 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

Open in analyzer

Keyword: bars, caramel, chocolate chip, dessert, Oven Baked, salty, sweet, vegetarian

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.