Gooey Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars (Easy Recipe)

Let’s be real: when you’re craving a dessert, the choice between a classic, chewy chocolate chip cookie and a decadent, gooey caramel treat can be tough. So why choose? This Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars recipe is the perfect, indulgent hybrid, and it’s about to become your new go-to for potlucks, bake sales, or a cozy night in.

We’re talking about a three-layer masterpiece: a soft and chewy brown sugar cookie base, a thick, rich layer of melted caramel, and a top layer of more cookie dough and chocolate chips. When it bakes, the caramel bubbles up and the cookie turns a perfect golden brown. It’s a rich, decadent, and surprisingly easy dessert that delivers maximum “wow” factor with minimal fuss.

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars

This recipe is broken down into two simple components: the cookie dough and the easy-melt caramel.

For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredient	Amount/Quantity
Butter	1 cup (2 sticks or 226g), at room temperature
Brown sugar	1 ½ cups (300 g), packed
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Large eggs	2, at room temperature
All-purpose flour	2 ¼ cups (282 g)
Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Kosher salt	1 teaspoon
Semi-sweet chocolate morsels	2 cups

For the Caramel Sauce

Ingredient	Amount/Quantity
Evaporated milk	5 ounces
Caramel bits (or wrapped caramels)	1 package (11 ounces)

this now & bake later ❤️

Timing

This is a fantastic afternoon baking project. The most difficult part is waiting for them to cool!

• Prep time: 20 minutes (for mixing dough and making caramel)
• Bake time: 25-28 minutes (total)
• Cooling time: 1-2 hours (This is essential!)
• Total time: Approximately 3 hours (mostly inactive cooling time)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prep Your Pan

First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides. This “parchment sling” will make it much easier to lift the bars out for cutting later. You can also spray the dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, add your room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Using a hand-held mixer on medium speed, cream the ingredients together for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is visibly lighter in color and has a fluffy texture. This step whips air into the dough, which is key to a soft cookie.

Step 3: Add the Eggs

Add the room-temperature eggs, one at a time. Be sure to mix well after each addition until the egg is fully incorporated. This helps create a stable, smooth batter.

Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients and Chocolate Chips

Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix! Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate morsels with a spatula or on the mixer’s lowest setting.

Step 5: Press the Bottom Layer

Take half of the cookie dough and press it into an even layer in the bottom of your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.

• Tip: The dough will be sticky. Lightly flouring your hands or using the back of a spoon dipped in flour can make this step much easier.

Step 6: Par-Bake the Crust

Place the baking dish in your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. This “par-bake” sets the bottom crust so it can hold the weight of the hot caramel.

Step 7: Make the Caramel Sauce

While the bottom crust is baking, prepare your caramel. Add the evaporated milk and the caramel bits (or unwrapped caramels) to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently for about 8 minutes.

• Crucial Tip: Do not walk away from this! The caramel can scorch on the bottom. Keep stirring until all the caramels are melted and the sauce is smooth and fully combined. Once smooth, remove it from the heat.

Step 8: Pour the Caramel

Carefully remove the baking dish with the hot crust from the oven and place it on a heat-safe surface. Immediately pour the hot caramel sauce over the crust, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer, getting it into every corner.

Step 9: Add the Top Cookie Layer

This is the key technique: take small spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough and flatten them into dollops or small “patties” in your hand. Carefully place these flattened dollops on top of the hot caramel layer. Continue this process until all the remaining dough is used.

• Note: It’s perfectly okay (and desirable!) if there are gaps where the caramel shows through. The cookie dough will spread as it bakes. Do not try to spread the top layer with a spatula; you’ll just make a mess of the caramel.

Step 10: Bake Until Golden

Place the baking dish back in the oven. Bake for an additional 15-18 minutes. The bars are done when the cookie top is golden brown and the caramel is bubbling around the edges.

Step 11: Cool Completely (The Hardest Step!)

Remove the bars from the oven and place them on a wire rack. You must let them cool completely to room temperature (at least 1-2 hours). If you try to cut them while they are warm, the hot caramel will ooze out, and you will have a delicious, gooey mess instead of clean-cut bars.

Nutritional Information

This is a rich, decadent treat, perfect for a special occasion! Please note, this is an estimated nutritional breakdown per bar (assuming you cut the 9×13 pan into 24 bars).

• Calories: ~260 kcal
• Protein: 2 g
• Fat: 13 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Sugar: 22 g

(Disclaimer: These values are estimates and will vary based on your specific ingredient brands and final portion size.)

Healthier Alternatives

While these Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars are a true indulgence, here are a couple of swaps you can try.

• Gluten-Free: This recipe works beautifully with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Vegan: For a vegan version, use your favorite brand of stick-style plant-based butter, vegan chocolate chips, and a flax egg (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water). You will need to find a dairy-free caramel, which can be made by melting vegan caramels or finding a pre-made coconut-milk-based caramel sauce that is very thick.
• Lower Sugar: You can use sugar-free chocolate chips (like Lily’s) and look for sugar-free caramel bits or candies to melt.

Serving Suggestions

These bars are a show-stopper all on their own, but a few simple touches can make them even more amazing.

• Warm it Up: Serve a bar slightly warmed (10-15 seconds in the microwave) with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The contrast of the warm, gooey bar and the cold, creamy ice cream is unbeatable.
• Add a Drizzle: A light drizzle of chocolate sauce or any leftover caramel sauce over the top makes for a beautiful presentation.
• Flaky Sea Salt: A tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of each bar just before serving is a professional touch that cuts the sweetness and makes the chocolate and caramel flavors pop.
• The Perfect Party Dish: These are a bake sale and potluck hero. They are rich, so cutting them into small, two-bite squares is often the best way to serve a crowd.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Slicing the Bars While Warm: This is the #1 mistake. The caramel is molten lava when it comes out of the oven and needs time to set.
  • Solution: You must wait. Let them cool at room temperature for at least 1-2 hours. If you’re really in a hurry, you can pop them in the fridge for 30-45 minutes (after cooling slightly) to speed up the process.
• Scorching the Caramel: The line between melted caramel and burnt caramel is very thin.
  • Solution: Use medium heat, not high. Stir constantly, especially making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Do not walk away while it’s on the stove.
• Trying to “Spread” the Top Layer: The cookie dough is thick, and the caramel layer is wet.
  • Solution: Trust the “flattened dollop” method. It looks rustic before it goes in the oven, but the cookie dough will puff up and spread, creating the perfect cobbled-together top.

Storing Tips

• Room Temperature: These bars store wonderfully. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Storing them here keeps the cookie part soft and chewy.
• Refrigerator: You can store them in the fridge, but the caramel will become very firm.
• Freezing: These bars freeze perfectly! Cut them into squares first, then place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container, with parchment paper between layers. They will keep for up to 3 months.
• To Reheat: From room temp or the fridge, a quick 10-15 seconds in the microwave makes them perfectly soft and gooey again.

Conclusion

These Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars are the ultimate easy, decadent dessert. That irresistible combination of a chewy chocolate chip cookie and a thick, gooey caramel center is a proven crowd-pleaser. This recipe is simple, uses pantry staples, and is guaranteed to be one of the first things to disappear from the dessert table.

We hope you enjoy this gooey, delicious treat! Try it out and let us know in the comments how they turned out for you. We’d love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to rate the recipe and subscribe for more easy, indulgent recipes!

FAQs

Q1. Can I use homemade caramel sauce instead of melted caramels?

It’s risky, and I don’t recommend it. Most homemade caramel sauces are too thin and will just soak into the bottom crust, making it soggy. This 2-ingredient caramel (evaporated milk + caramel bits) is designed to set up into a perfect, chewy, thick layer that stays put.

Q2. I only have wrapped square caramels. Will those work?

Yes! The “caramel bits” are just a shortcut. You can absolutely use the classic wrapped square caramels. You’ll need an 11-ounce bag, and the only “hard” part is unwrapping them all! They will melt down perfectly with the evaporated milk.

Q3. Can I double this recipe?

Yes, you can double it and bake it in a larger 12×18-inch (half-sheet) pan. You will need to watch the baking time; it will likely be very similar but keep an eye on it.

Q4. Can I use different chocolate chips?

Absolutely! Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even a mix of chocolate and butterscotch chips would be delicious.

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