Easy Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

These Easy Salted Caramel Cookie Bars are the answer to the age-old question: what if a chocolate chip cookie and a caramel sundae had a very sticky baby? Think thick, chewy cookie base, a glossy ribbon of salted caramel in the middle, and a buttery crumb blanket on top. It’s a bakery flex without changing out of sweatpants. Yes, this pan is probably too small. No, I will not wash fewer dishes. I will simply stack them creatively and call it art.

Last time I made these, my husband offered to “help,” which is code for opening the bag of caramels and eating 40% of them while telling me he’s “making sure they’re still good.” The kids were in charge of sprinkling the flaky salt, which they treated like confetti at a parade. The dog ate a corner crumb and winked at me like we were in on a heist. I also learned that pouring lava-hot caramel straight onto fresh cookie dough leads to a caramel geyser that can only be described as… science fair adjacent. We still ate the edges with spoons. Ten out of ten, would burn my fingerprints again.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Melt store-bought soft caramels with a splash of cream and a pinch of salt. Is it a shortcut? Yes. Is it glorious? Also yes.
– Line the pan with foil and parchment so you can yeet the whole slab out and pretend dishes don’t exist.
– Microwave the butter until mostly melted, then stir to finish. I believe in shortcuts and in my microwave’s character arc.
– Chill the assembled pan for 10 minutes before baking so the caramel doesn’t do the slip-n-slide.
– No caramels? Use a thick jarred caramel sauce. If it pours like water, keep it for ice cream, not bars.
– Use pre-cut parchment sheets. The roll fights back and always wins.

Serving Ideas

– Warm with vanilla ice cream. Salt on top. Angels sing, neighbors suddenly friendly.
– Coffee if you’re civilized, bourbon if the day said “plot twist.”
– Slice tiny squares for parties or giant ones if you’re done pretending.
– Serve with wine if the kids drove you nuts—pairing notes: “goes with all varieties of chaos.”
– Honestly, a fork and the pan. We’re not here to impress Karen from the PTA.

What to Serve It With

– Fresh berries for balance, because antioxidants cancel caramel (don’t fact-check me).
– A salty snack board: pretzels, nuts, and that one pickle you keep forgetting about.
– Espresso or dark roast coffee to cut the sweet like a tiny, caffeinated sword.
– Lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for “I watch baking shows” energy.
– Vanilla yogurt for breakfast bars, because if it has “bar” in the name it’s basically granola.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Use a 9×9-inch pan for thicker bars; 8×8 works but expect tall drama. Line it well for easy removal.
– Hold back a cup of dough for the top. Crumble it—don’t press. We’re going for cute chaos, not drywall.
– Don’t pour boiling caramel on raw dough. Let it cool a few minutes so it doesn’t tunnel. Ask me how I know.
– Underbake slightly; the carryover heat finishes the job. Overbaked caramel turns into ankle weights for your molars.
– Sprinkle flaky sea salt after baking so it doesn’t melt into sadness.
– For clean slices, chill 45–60 minutes, then cut with a hot knife you wipe between cuts.
– If caramel leaks to the edges, scoot it back with a spatula when it’s warm. We believe in second chances.
– Using jarred sauce? Look for “thick, spoonable.” If it glugs, it hugs.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
– Room temp: 2 days in an airtight container.
– Fridge: 4–5 days, layer with parchment so they don’t become one mega-bar (unless that’s your dream).
– Freezer: Up to 2 months. Wrap tightly, thaw in the fridge, and rewarm in a 300°F oven for 6–8 minutes.

✔Variations and Substitutions

Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts.
– Brown butter the dough for extra nuttiness. Fancy, but in a sweatpants way.
– Stir in chopped dark chocolate, toffee bits, or pretzels for crunch.
– Peanut butter swirl: dot a few spoonfuls over the caramel and drag a knife through like you’re an artist with a mortgage.
– Nuts: pecans or walnuts play nice with caramel. Toast them for bonus points.
– Gluten-free: use a 1:1 baking blend—no one will know unless you tell them or they read this line.
– Dairy-free: coconut oil or vegan butter + dairy-free caramel. Add a flax egg if you’re committing to the bit.
– Espresso powder in the dough to tame sweetness and whisper “grown-up.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

Soft and chewy cookie bars layered with buttery caramel and finished with flaky sea salt. One bowl dough, no mixer, and bakery-level results with simple pantry staples.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2.25 cup all-purpose flour cookie dough
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon baking soda cookie dough
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt cookie dough
• ▢ 0.75 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled cookie dough
• ▢ 1 cup packed light brown sugar cookie dough
• ▢ 0.25 cup granulated sugar cookie dough
• ▢ 1 large egg cookie dough
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk cookie dough
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract cookie dough
• ▢ 1.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips cookie dough
• ▢ 11 ounce soft caramels, unwrapped caramel layer
• ▢ 0.25 cup heavy cream caramel layer
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon flaky sea salt for topping
• ▢ 0.25 cup semisweet chocolate chips optional, for topping

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal, and lightly grease.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Press about half of the dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the bottom layer. Reserve the remaining dough for topping.
• In a small saucepan over low heat (or microwave in short bursts), melt the caramels with the heavy cream, stirring until smooth and pourable.
• Pour the warm caramel over the bottom cookie layer, spreading gently to the edges. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the caramel in small pieces. Sprinkle flaky sea salt and the optional extra chocolate chips on top.
• Bake until the top is golden and the center is just set, 22 to 25 minutes. Do not overbake; the bars firm up as they cool.
• Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Use the parchment to lift out, then cut into 16 bars. For the cleanest slices, chill 20 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for 1 week. To freeze, wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature. If using a metal pan, begin checking doneness at 20 minutes.