Buttery cookie dough, gooey caramel, semisweet chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt—this recipe for Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars is everything you love in one decadent bite!
It all started with a rainy Saturday and a pantry raid. You know those days when the weather screams “stay in and bake,” but you also realize you’re dangerously low on groceries? Yeah. That was me. I found a lonely bag of chocolate chips, a stash of caramels leftover from Halloween (don’t judge!), and that golden can of sweetened condensed milk I keep “just in case.” Spoiler: this was the case.
I threw them together with my usual cookie dough recipe, said a little prayer to the baking gods, and what came out of the oven? Pure. Gold. My husband declared them “too good to share,” and I caught my kids sneaking chunks straight from the cooling rack. Needless to say, these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are now a thing in our house. And maybe they will be in yours too?
Why You’ll Love This Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe?
I could go on forever, but I’ll keep it short(ish):
- Sweet and Salty: That sprinkle of flaked sea salt on top? It makes the chocolate sing and the caramel swoon.
- Ridiculously Easy: No scooping individual cookies, no chilling dough—just press it in a pan, layer on the caramel, and bake. Done and done.
- Crowd-Pleaser Alert: I brought these to a potluck once, and they vanished in record time. One lady asked if I could text her the recipe on the spot.
- Freezer Friendly: Slice ‘em, freeze ‘em, and pop one out whenever life demands a little sweet-and-salty comfort food (which, let’s be honest, is often).
Ingredient Notes:
Butter – Unsalted and softened. You want it squishy, not melted. Room temp butter creams up nice and fluffy.
Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar – The combo keeps these bars chewy but with a little crisp around the edges.
Eggs – Room temp is best. I usually set mine out while I’m preheating the oven (or I plop them in warm water for 5 minutes when I forget).
Vanilla Extract – Don’t skip it. That little splash of vanilla rounds out the flavors.
Kosher Salt & Flaked Sea Salt – Salt inside the dough and sprinkled on top. It’s what makes the magic happen.
Flour – All-purpose, reliable, never lets me down.
Semisweet Chocolate Chips – Sweet enough to balance the salt, but not too sweet.
Soft Caramels & Sweetened Condensed Milk – Melt these together and you’ve got a caramel filling that’s downright dreamy.
How To Make Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
Step 1: Prep Your Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grab a 9×13 pan, line it with foil (trust me—it makes it easier to lift them out later), and spray with non-stick spray. Nothing fancy, just cover your bases.
Step 2: Make the Dough
In a big bowl (or your stand mixer if you’re feeling fancy), cream the butter with both sugars. Get it light and fluffy—that’s about 2-3 minutes of mixing. Then toss in the eggs, vanilla, kosher salt, and baking soda. Scrape down the bowl (I always forget this step until halfway through) and keep going. Slowly add your flour, then fold in those chocolate chips. Boom—cookie dough.
Step 3: Press & Layer
Take half that dough and press it evenly into the bottom of your pan. Then make the caramel layer. Melt your caramels and sweetened condensed milk over low heat, stirring until it’s smooth and creamy. It’s thick and gooey and smells like heaven. Pour that all over the cookie dough layer.
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Step 4: Finish It Off
Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the caramel. It won’t cover it all, but that’s okay! Little caramel peeks are part of the charm. Bake for 25-30 minutes until it’s golden and the center is just set (a little jiggle is okay, like your favorite dance move).
Step 5: Sprinkle & Cool
As soon as it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Let it cool completely in the pan. Then lift the whole thing out using the foil and slice into bars. Resist the urge to cut them early—hot caramel burns are no joke. (Ask me how I know.)
Storage Options:
Store these beauties in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. Or freeze them! I slice them up, lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan, freeze, then transfer to a baggie. They thaw in about 10 minutes… but I’ve eaten them straight from the freezer more times than I care to admit.
Variations and Substitutions:
- Chocolate Chips: Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate—pick your poison.
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts add a nice crunch (my mom swears by it).
- Caramel Layer: Too lazy to melt caramels? Use a jar of caramel sauce. It’s runnier, but it works in a pinch.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I’ve tested it with King Arthur’s and it held up great!
What to Serve with Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
- Cold Milk – Classic.
- Hot Coffee – Balances the sweet with a little bitterness.
- Vanilla Ice Cream – Next-level good. Warm a bar, plop a scoop on top, and thank me later.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I double this recipe?
Totally! Use two 9×13 pans or one giant sheet pan (just watch the bake time).
Do I have to use sea salt on top?
Nope, but it’s that sweet-salty combo that makes these bars special.
How do I know when they’re done?
The edges will be golden, and the middle should be set but still soft. It firms up as it cools!
So, what do you think? Ready to whip up a batch of these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars? I promise they’re worth the extra 5 minutes of caramel melting. And hey, if you make them, drop me a note. Did you stash a secret piece for yourself? (I always do.)
Can’t wait to hear how it goes!
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Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Keep the Flavor Coming – Try These:
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- 14 ounces of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 10 ounces Soft Caramels unwrapped
- 1 teaspoon Flaked Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preparation of Baking Apparatus: Initiate by preheating the oven to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Subsequently, align a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, ensuring to coat it generously with non-stick cooking spray.
- Dough Formation: In the receptacle of an electric mixer, amalgamate the softened butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until the concoction is light and fluffy, a process taking approximately two minutes. Incorporate the eggs, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and baking soda, ensuring thorough mixing. Utilize a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, guaranteeing an even blend.
- Incorporation of Dry Ingredients: Diminish the mixer speed to low and gradually introduce the all-purpose flour into the mix. Continue the beating process until the constituents are combined, then manually fold in the semisweet chocolate chips.
- Assembly of Base Layer: Press one-half of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Caramel Layer Preparation: In a medium saucepan, amalgamate the sweetened condensed milk with unwrapped soft caramels. Position the saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring persistently, until the caramels have completely melted and the mixture attains a smooth, homogeneous consistency. Once achieved, pour this caramel filling over the cookie dough layer in the baking dish.
- Final Assembly: Utilize the remaining cookie dough, dropping it in small, teaspoon-sized clumps over the caramel layer. Proceed to bake the bars in the preheated oven for a duration of 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center of the bars is just set.
- Finishing Touches: Remove the bars from the oven and, immediately, sprinkle the baked bars with flaked sea salt. Allow the bars to cool completely within the dish. Upon cooling, utilize the edges of the foil to lift the entire dessert out of the pan, facilitating ease of slicing. Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature, ideally for no longer than 3 days for optimal freshness and quality.
Notes
I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!