Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

 I love reading blogs about baking or anything related to cake decorating. I'm always on the lookout for the next great recipe to try or a new decorating technique to master. I admit to an ever growing list of recipes for experiment that I refer to now as my "food bucket list". On occasion, there are times when I come across a recipe that calls for baking to commence immediately and  this Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie bar was one of those times.

 

Ooey Gooey, Chocolaty, Salty, Caramel Goodness!!

 

So I was cruising through the blog Two Peas and Their Pod (my new favorite) and I stumbled across these killer cookie bars.  If you haven't visited their blog- wander on over and make sure you check out their pod...he's definitely the cutest little pod in town! I've posted the recipe and step by step instructions for your convenience, but also included a link, just click here twopeasandtheirpod.com/chocolate-chip-salted-caramel-cookie-bars. I urge you to give these a try, you will be glad you did...I was. The only thing I will do different next time is to use a larger pan. Even though I used the 11x7 Pyrex pan my cookie bars looked to be thicker than theirs. Not that it's a bad thing, but these cookies are so rich they need to be eaten in small doses and with a tall glass of milk.....enjoy!!

 

 

 

 




Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

Yield: 16 cookie bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

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

Ingredients:

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
10 ounces caramel candy squares, unwrapped
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Sea salt, for sprinkling over caramel and bars

Directions:

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.

 

Mmmm Good!!!