PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Ingredients:
Cookie Dough:
12 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup (7 ounces) brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups (13.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Caramel:
10 ounces soft caramels (see note), unwrapped
1/3 cup cream or milk (see note)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil (the foil part is optional but helps the bars come out in one big slab after cooling, if that’s your thing) and spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, salt and baking soda and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread or press about half (or just slightly more than half) of the batter in the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8-9 minutes.
While the cookie dough base is baking, add the caramels and cream to a microwave-safe bowl (you can also heat on low on the stovetop in a saucepan) and microwave for 1-minute increments at 50% power, stirring in between, until the caramel is melted and smooth. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract.
Drizzle the caramel mixture over the top of the baked cookie dough and spread evenly.
Pinch the remaining cookie dough between your fingers and crumble over the top of the caramel.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until the bars are puffed and the edges are slightly golden.
Let the bars cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes:
I’ve only ever used Trader Joe’s soft and chewy salted caramels for this recipe (about 26 of them to be precise) but other brands of chewy caramel (like Kraft or Brachs) could be used too, as well as homemade if you want to be a total rockstar. Also, keep in mind if using milk with the caramels (instead of cream) the mixture will be quite a bit thinner and runnier. I’ve made it both ways and it’s delicious either way – just richer and creamier with the cream rather than the milk.
Oh, and if you want to brown the butter first, I won’t stop you. Just don’t come back blaming me if your self-control flies out the window.
