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Gooey Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars

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Rich, indulgent dessert bars with layers of soft cookie dough, gooey caramel, and melted chocolate chips. Perfect for any occasion and easy to make in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (340g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
  • 1 cup (200g) caramel squares
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup (225g) of softened unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g) of brown sugar, and 1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
  3. Add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280g) of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, beating until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bars soft and tender.
  6. Fold in 2 cups (340g) of chocolate chips using a rubber spatula. Set the dough aside.
  7. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup (200g) of caramel squares and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of heavy cream. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth.
  8. Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the base layer.
  9. Pour the melted caramel over the cookie dough base, spreading it out gently with the spatula.
  10. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough over the caramel layer, pressing lightly to create an even top layer. Don’t worry if some caramel peeks through—that’s part of the charm!
  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are set. The center should still look slightly gooey.
  12. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out before slicing into squares.

Notes

[‘Don’t overmix the dough once you add the dry ingredients to keep the bars soft and tender.’, ‘For extra gooeyness, slightly underbake the bars. They’ll firm up as they cool but remain deliciously soft in the center.’, ‘If your caramel is too stiff to spread, add an extra tablespoon of heavy cream and reheat it in 10-second intervals, stirring each time.’, ‘Use parchment paper to avoid sticking and for easy cleanup.’, ‘Let the bars cool completely before slicing to ensure clean edges and avoid a sticky mess.’, ‘Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top of the bars before baking for extra chocolatey goodness.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: chocolate chip, caramel bars, dessert, easy recipe, gooey bars, sweet treat

Find it online: https://katedishes.com/gooey-chocolate-chip-caramel-bars-recipe-perfect-for-dessert/