Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe & Tips

A Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar is a soft, indulgent chocolate chip cookie baked into a bar with a rich layer of salted caramel in the middle. It’s gooey, irresistible, and perfectly balanced with a touch of salt. I may have eaten more than I should admit, but they’re simply that good.

I’ve been on a little mission to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipes, and this salted caramel bar quickly earned a spot near the top. While I enjoy creating and testing these recipes, you get to benefit by having another dependable, exceptional cookie bar to add to your baking rotation.

Who wouldn’t want a collection of fantastic chocolate chip cookie recipes ready whenever the craving hits? Exactly — everyone. So, you’re welcome.

How to Make Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These bars begin with a dependable, soft chocolate chip cookie dough and finish with a generous salted caramel center. Follow these simple steps for a perfect result.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare an 8×8 inch pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in the brown and granulated sugars until mostly dissolved.

3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir until combined but avoid overmixing, which can make the dough tough.
4. Whisk in the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt—until the dough comes together.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips—mini chips work well for an even distribution, but use what you have on hand.
6. Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared 8×8 pan.

7. Spoon the caramel sauce over the first layer of dough and spread it gently into an even layer.
8. Sprinkle kosher salt evenly over the caramel to create that signature sweet-and-salty contrast.

9. Top the caramel with the remaining one-third of dough, pressing gently to form a relatively even top layer.
10. Bake at 325°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the bars are golden brown. Allow them to cool at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before cutting.

If you plan to serve them warm, you can cut the bars shortly after they cool. For a neater slice, chill the pan for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Finish with a light sprinkle of kosher salt if you like, or serve as-is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly dreamy dessert.

These bars are soft, slightly salty, and wonderfully rich — perfect for dinner parties, holiday gatherings, or whenever you want an impressive homemade treat.

Expert Tips

• When melting butter, stop when it’s nearly melted. This keeps it from getting too hot and potentially cooking the eggs when they’re added. If the butter does overheat, let it cool to room temperature before continuing.
• Dough made with melted butter can make folding in chocolate chips a bit more difficult. Be patient and use your hands if needed to evenly distribute the chips.
• Chilling the baked bars for at least 30 minutes makes them much easier to slice cleanly.

Why Add Cornstarch to Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cornstarch is commonly used to thicken sauces, but in baking it serves a different purpose. Mixed with flour, cornstarch helps soften the flour’s proteins, yielding a more tender, cakey texture in cookies and cakes.

Do You Love Chocolate Chip Cookies? Try These Recipes

5 from 1 vote

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

By: June Albertson-Dick

A soft chocolate chip cookie baked into a bar with a decadent layer of salted caramel that elevates every bite.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 12 servings

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Ingredients 

• ¾ cup butter, melted
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, whites discarded from 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ¾–1 cup caramel sauce
• ¾–1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
• Combine melted butter and both sugars. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, stirring to combine. Stir in flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips—if the dough is sticky from melted butter, use your hands to help mix them in evenly.
• Press two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan. Pour the caramel sauce over the dough and sprinkle with kosher salt. Top with the remaining dough and press gently to create an even layer.
• Bake 25–30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Optionally, sprinkle more kosher salt on top. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 17g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.

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