These super decadent and incredibly delicious salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars are extremely easy to make. Crumbly, buttery chocolate chip cookie dough is paired perfectly with luscious salted caramel, and the extra melted chocolate and chocolate chips round off what just might be your new favourite dessert.
Yes, do read the post title again. Salted caramel. Chocolate chip. Cookie bars. Aren’t you glad you’ve stopped by?! There are quite a few words that come to mind regarding this recipe.
Decadent.
Sweet.
Indulgent.
Scrumptious.
Almost-over-the-top-but-actually-just-right.
Okay, the last is not really a word (if you squint, it is), but it’s exactly what these lovelies are. Because why stop at just cookie bars? Let’s also add in chocolate chips. A whole lot of them. And let’s go a step further and slather on a thick layer of shiny, luscious salted caramel. Then, a drizzle of melted chocolate. Just because. And more chocolate chips. And… no, wait, that’s it.
There is nothing understated or subtle about these salted caramel chocolate chips cookie bars. They are layer on layer of deliciousness; each layer oh-so-yummy on its own, but together… they will. Blow. Your. Mind.
The just-crumbly-enough cookie bottom is perfectly buttery, and contains enough chocolate chips for every mouthful to be a mini chocolate taste explosion. The cookie dough itself is only slightly sweet, and is balanced perfectly by the luxurious salted caramel layer.
Getting the salted caramel to set to just the right consistency is a delicate science – and this recipe gets it right every single time. The caramel is thick enough to be able to cut the bars easily, but melts the moment it hits your tongue. The melted chocolate and extra chocolate chips complete a dessert that is virtually impossible to improve further.
Here’s another amazing thing about these salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars: they are incredibly easy to make! Yes, really. I bet you’re frowning sceptically at the screen right now, thinking I’m having you on. I’m not, pinky promise.
And when you make them, and everyone’s ‘oohing and aahing’ over them, and asking you how long you’ve slaved away in the kitchen to make this masterpiece… well, then, you’ll believe me.
And the wonders of these salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars don’t end here. In addition to being super decadent, incredibly delicious, and extremely easy to make, they are also ideal to make for a large group of people. The only limit is the size of your baking tray – other than that, go crazy.
Do these salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars seem too good to be true? Yes.
But are they? Most definitely not.
However, as they say, “the proof is in the pudding”. So make them. Enjoy them. Share them. And then make them again. Because once you’ve tasted them, you’ll want to do so again. And again.
SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Ingredients
For chocolate chip cookie bottom:
- 175 g unsalted butter, softened
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 300 g plain flour, sifted
- pinch of salt
- 100 g chocolate chips
For salted caramel:
- 250 g caster sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 210 mL double cream, room temperature
- 1 – 2 tsp salt (Note 1)
For assembly:
- 50 g melted chocolate
- 50 g chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (175 ºC) and line a baking tray, at least 1.5 inch deep, with greaseproof/baking paper.
- Cream together butter and sugar.
- Add the egg, and mix thoroughly.
- Add the flour, salt and chocolate chips, and mix until a smooth, not sticky, cookie dough with evenly distributed chocolate chips forms.
- Press the cookie dough into the lined baking tray and even it out so that it is approximately 1/2 inch (about 1.5 cm) thick. Put into the fridge for about 1/2 hour.
- Bake the cookie dough in the preheated oven at 350 ºF (175 ºC) for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light golden brown at the edges. The cookie dough might feel soft immediately out of the oven, but will firm on cooling.
- Leave to cool completely (in the baking tray!). In the mean time, make the salted caramel.
For salted caramel:
- Heat caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- The sugar may form clumps but will eventually melt into a thick golden brown liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn the caramel.
- Once the sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. On its addition, the caramel will bubble rapidly – be careful.
- Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes. The butter will tend to separate from the caramel – just stir vigorously.
- Very slowly, drizzle in the double cream while stirring. The mixture will rapidly bubble due to the temperature difference and may splatter – be careful.
- Allow the mixture to boil for about 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
- Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to cool down before using (the salted caramel should be slightly warmer than room temperature for pouring onto the cookie bottom).
- Any leftover salted caramel sauce (what's that?) keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
For assembly:
- Still in the baking tray, pour the warm salted caramel onto the cookie bottom so that it forms a uniform layer, about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.
- Allow to set overnight in the fridge. The salted caramel will firm up, enough to be easy to cut but retain its melt-in-the-mouth consistency.
- Remove the cookie bottom + salted caramel layers from the baking tray, and while still cold, cut them into rectangular pieces (the recipe should give about 20 pieces).
- Drizzle the cookie bars with melted chocolate, and decorate with extra chocolate chips. And enjoy!
- The salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars keep well in a cool dry place (or even in the fridge, just allow them to come to room temperature before serving) for about 3 to 4 days. They never last that long, though.
Notes
Looking for more salted caramel deliciousness? I have just the thing!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake with Salted Caramel!
