These Caramel Cookie Bars combine gooey caramel and chewy chocolate chip cookies in one perfect dessert. They’re super easy to make, great for sharing, and every bite has just the right amount of caramel filling and cookie base.
If you love cookies and caramel, you can now combine them into one amazing, chewy cookie bar. Melted caramel is layered between chocolate chip cookie dough in these caramel cookie bars and, once baked, the cookies stay nice and chewy while the caramel center is soft and gooey.
This isn’t the first time I’ve combined caramel and cookies. Caramel stuffed cookies remain a favorite and, of course, there’s the Crumbl caramel cheesecake cookies. But I think these caramel cookie bars are even easier than those recipes and just so delicious. Cookie bars are great for slicing and sharing, so these are a great option for parties, and they stay soft and chewy for up to 5 days!
Why These Caramel Cookie Bars Are So Good
- Chewy chocolate chip base. The base of these caramel cookie bars is thick, chewy chocolate chip cookie bars. The recipe is similar to my chewy chocolate chip cookies, with some changes to account for bars instead of cookies. But they still have that same great texture and flavor. So good!
- The caramel filling. Obviously, the caramel filling is the star of these caramel cookie bars. It’s a simple two ingredient filling, made with caramel and butter, that stays delightfully soft and chewy once baked and cooled.
- Super easy to make. I think cookie bars are easier to make than cookies because you don’t have to shape the cookie dough, and the baking time isn’t quite as finicky for perfectly chewy bars. These caramel cookie bars take about an hour to make from start to finish. tTe hardest part is letting them cool completely before enjoying.
Key Ingredients
Let’s take a look at each ingredient in these cookie bars and why it’s important. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact measurements.
- All-purpose flour – To ensure the cookie bars are not too dry, use a food scale to weigh the flour. If you don’t have one, use the spoon and level technique, as described in this post.
- Cornstarch – A bit of cornstarch helps create the soft and tender texture.
- Baking soda – Ensures the bars rise and gives them the perfect chewy texture.
- Salt – Salt enhances the flavors already present. Without it, your bars will be a bit bland.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter in my baked goods, since different brands of salted butter have different amounts of salt. It should be at room temperature before starting the cookie bars.
- Sugar – Both brown sugar and granulated sugar are used in these bars. Be sure to pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup. In addition to sweetening the cookie bars, it adds moisture and contributes to the chewy texture.
- Egg – Be sure to use a large egg, not small or medium.
- Vanilla extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – You could use other types of chocolate chips as well but I think semi-sweet works nicely with the caramel.
- Caramel squares – Kraft and Werther’s are the two most popular brands and the ones I tested to make these caramel cookie bars. Different caramels have different consistencies, so I’d recommend using one of those two, since I can tell you how to adjust for either.
How To Make Caramel Cookie Bars
These cookie bars are even easier to make than regular cookies, with just a handful of steps. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Make the cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the baking pan with parchment paper. Be sure to leave some overhang to easily remove the bars later.
Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then set aside.
Cream the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes, until light in color and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
Mix in the dry ingredients until mostly combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Make the caramel and assemble
Melt the caramels and butter over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool a bit.
Press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan and a bit up the sides.
Spread the caramel evenly over the cookie dough.
Flatten the remaining cookie dough in small pieces and place over the caramel evenly, starting with the sides of the pan.
Bake for 20-22 minutes, just until the edges are beginning to brown. Cool completely before removing from the pan to slice.
Tips for the Best Cookie Bars
Here are a few of my best tips for making this caramel cookie bar recipe for the first time.
- Fully cream the butter & sugar. When creaming the butter and sugar for the cookie dough, there should be a visible change in the color and texture. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes for this recipe.
- Adjust the butter as needed. Not all caramels are the same, so the amount of butter may need to be adjusted so that the caramel keeps the right consistency. I’ve included measurements for Kraft and Werther’s caramels, which are the most common.
- Stir the caramel constantly. When melting the caramel, be sure to keep stirring constantly. It’s normal for it to look like it’s separated – it will come together as you keep stirring.
- Cool the melted caramel. Give the melted caramel about 5 minutes or so to cool before adding it to the pan. You don’t want it to solidify again, but you also don’t want it to melt the cookie dough.
- Spread the dough evenly. To create an even top layer of dough, I flatten pieces of the dough in my hands and place them on top of the caramel. Start at the sides of the pan, then work towards the middle, gently pressing each piece together
- Cool before slicing. Since the caramel layer will be very hot and melted, it’s important to let these caramel cookie bars cool completely in the pan. If you try to remove them when the caramel is still liquid, it will just spill out the sides. They’re also very hard to cut when still warm.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature: Store caramel cookie bars in an airtight container on the counter. They’re best enjoyed within 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Once they’ve cooled completely, wrap the bars tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.
Watch How To Make Them
Caramel Cookie Bars
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Ingredients
Cookie Layers
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup (112g) light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup (52g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (211g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Caramel Layer
- 32 unwrapped Kraft caramel squares (see notes for Werther’s caramels)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Make the cookie dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some over hanging on the sides for easy removal from the pan later.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. You should be able to see the change in color happen and know it’s ready.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined. Do not over mix.
- Add the chocolate chips and use a silicone spatula to fold everything together into a uniform cookie dough.
Make the caramel and assemble
- Add the caramels and butter to a small pot over medium-low heat. Melt, stirring constantly. It may look like it’s separating, but if you keep whisking it’ll come together.
- Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes, so that it doesn’t melt the cookie dough.
- Press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan and just a bit up the sides, so it’ll hold the caramel in place.
- Pour the caramel evenly over the cookie dough.
- Add the remaining 1/3 of the cookie dough by dropping flattened bits of the cookie dough over top of the caramel and distributing evenly, to create an even layer. Start with the sides of the pan and press some of the dough into the cookie dough on the sides, then fill in the middle.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until they are just beginning to brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing the bars from the pan and cutting.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature. Best if eaten within 4-5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
