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Luna Hossain

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These cookie bars are a rich, bakery-style dessert that’s easier than making individual cookies and stores well. A parchment-lined 9×9 pan is filled with a firm pressed cookie-dough base, topped with evenly spread chocolate chips and a thick caramel layer, then finished with small pieces of remaining dough so the bars stay soft and chewy. They’re baked at 350°F for about 30–35 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set but tender, then sprinkled with flaky salt and cooled completely before cutting. The result is thick bars with a soft middle, chewy edges, gooey caramel, melted chocolate, and a balanced sweet-salty flavor.
Calories: ~320 | Carbohydrates: ~38g | Fat: ~17g | Protein: ~4g
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Bars & Brownies
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Cookie dough base made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla
  • Chocolate chips
  • Soft caramel thick and pourable or spoonable
  • Flaky salt for topping

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Spoon or spatula
  • 9x9-inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Oven

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line the baking pan with parchment paper so the bars lift out easily.
  2. Press about two-thirds of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. It should feel firm and level.
  3. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the dough so they are spread out but not piled up.
  4. Spoon the caramel over the chocolate layer and gently spread it. It should look glossy and thick.
  5. Drop small pieces of the remaining dough over the caramel. Do not cover it completely.
  6. Bake until the top is lightly golden and the center still looks soft, about 30–35 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle flaky salt on top while the bars are warm, then let them cool before cutting.

Notes

  • Do not spread the caramel too close to the edges or it may harden.
  • Overbaking will dry out the cookie layers and stiffen the caramel.
  • Cutting too soon will cause the layers to slide instead of staying neat.
  • Macros are approximate and will vary based on ingredient brands and portion size.