Description
A decadent bar dessert with a rich chocolate chip cookie base, a gooey salted-caramel center, and a soft cookie top sprinkled with sea salt—a perfect sweet & salty treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2⅛ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 10 oz caramel candy squares, unwrapped
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Fleur de sel or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9-inch square pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract; mix until smooth.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramel candies and heavy cream. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between, until melted and smooth.
- Press half the cookie dough into the prepared pan in an even layer.
- Pour melted caramel over the dough, spreading gently and leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
- Drop remaining dough in spoonfuls over the caramel and gently press to mostly cover.
- Sprinkle additional sea salt on top and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and edges pull away from the pan.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate for 30 minutes before lifting from the pan and cutting into squares.
Notes
- For best texture, don’t overbake—bars should still be slightly soft in the center.
- Use good-quality caramel candies for a smoother filling.
- Chill bars before cutting to get clean edges.
- Substitute dark chocolate chips for a richer flavor profile.