Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Indulge your sweet cravings with these delectable caramel chocolate chip bars. These irresistibly chewy and gooey bars combine rich caramel and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chips for a delightful dessert that will keep you coming back for more! Perfect for get-togethers, holidays, or random Tuesdays. 😉

I love these caramel chocolate chip bars so very much. They’re ooey, gooey perfection and are always a hit. I’m not gonna lie, they were hard to photograph! The caramel wouldn’t stay in place and the bars were so moist!

So don’t waste your time taking pictures of them like me. Just eat the dang things.

The trick to the ooey-gooeyness is the caramel sauce combined with sweetened condensed milk. I like to quickly mix them in a saucepan on the stove to easily combine the two ingredients.

If you’re looking for other delicious bars, check out these maple pecan blondies or these chocolate peanut butter krispie treats! Don’t forget to check out the cookie version of these bars–they are simple to make and so yummy–caramel chocolate chip cookies.

If you don’t have caramel sauce, you can melt about 15 caramels over the stove and then add the evaporated milk.

caramel chocolate chip bar with a plate of them behind it

Why You’ll Love These Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Brown Sugar Keeps Them Moist and Chewy – This recipe calls for more brown sugar than granulated white sugar. This is because brown sugar locks in the moisture. It gives a chewy-ness that makes these bars taste so divine! It’s also what helps give the bars a moist center while still keeping that crispy edge. So. Delicious.
Feels Fancy, but Easy to Make – These bars are going to be a favorite at the next party or get-together you bring them to! People are known to rave about these bars and suddenly, you’ll become the designated caramel chocolate chip bars bringer from here on out. Prepare yourself now.
Caramel and Chocolate are a Dynamic Duo! I’ve included the step-by-step instructions along with a video that will help guide you through the whole process. It’s so easy!

flat lay of cut up caramel chocolate chip bars on parchment paper

Ingredients

ingredient picture for the caramel chocolate chip bars

Flour – Classic all-purpose flour is needed for this recipe.
Light Brown Sugar – I’m sure you could get away with using dark-brown sugar too! Either works.
Granulated Sugar – we use less of this than the brown sugar because I really wanted to bring out that delicious molasses flavor the brown sugar provides. But you can’t have chocolate chip cookie bars without some granulated sugar!
Salted Butter – I always use salted butter in my baking. You could use unsalted and just add a pinch of salt to the dough also. Use what you’ve got.
Eggs – Add the eggs in one at a time as you are mixing.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract gives so much flavor!
Baking Soda – Helps the dough rise and gives it that chocolate chip cookie bar vibe.
Caramel Sauce – I use my homemade caramel sauce. You could also use store bought caramel sauce or make your own with about 15 caramels.
Sweetened Condensed Milk – This pairs with the caramel sauce to make the bars ooey gooey. If you don’t add this, the caramel will immerse itself into the bars (which is still delicious, I tried it without) but it will not give the caramel-y layer we are looking for in this recipe.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – The classic chocolate chip cookie requisite!

See recipe card for quantities.

Step-By-Step Instructions (With Video!)

mixing bowl with the sugars and butter creamed

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper. With a mixer, cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter for about 2 minutes.

sugars, butter, and an egg about to get mixed in

Step 2: Add the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly before the next one. Add the vanilla extract and baking soda. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt if your butter is unsalted.

mixing bowl of dough with the flour being added

Step 3: Gradually add in the flour, as you mix the dough together. Mix until the flour is completely mixed in.

mixing bowl with the chocolate chips being added

Step 4: Add the chocolate chips and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Chocolate chip cookie dough pressed down on the baking dish

Step 5: Use about 2/3 of the dough for the bottom layer of the bars. Making sure to gently press the dough down and cover the entire bottom of the baking dish.

adding the caramel and condensed milk mixture on top of the pressed down dough

Step 6: Next you will want to combine the caramel sauce with the sweetened condensed milk. I like to heat the caramel sauce over the stovetop to soften it and easily mix the condensed milk in with it. Otherwise just mix the two together in a bowl and pour it evenly over the dough.

picture of how the caramel looks on top of the dough

Step 7: It should look like this once complete.

picture of the small clumps of dough on top of the caramel sauce

Step 8: Then, you’re going to take small piece of the remaining cookie dough and drop it over the caramel. The dough will spread out and cover the caramel with some streams of caramel throughout. Once it’s evenly distributed, put it in the oven for about 40 minutes.

Cooked caramel chocolate chip bars cut into squares and sitting on parchment paper

Step 9: Allow the bars to cool off before cutting them into squares.

pulling apart the caramel chocolate chip bars

These bars are so rich and delicious! Just look at that caramel! Enjoy!

Hint: The parchment paper isn’t necessary, but it will save you a lot of headache once they’re cooked and there’s caramel everywhere. Make sure to keep parchment paper long enough to have it stick out on the sides. Don’t cut it to fit exactly under the bars. If will stick to the bars and make it miserable for you to try to cut them and take them out. Ask me how I know. 😉

Substitutions and Variations

Caramel – If you don’t have or don’t want to make the caramel sauce, you can use 15 unwrapped caramel squares or a cup of caramel bits from the store. You’ll want to melt them in a saucepan on the stop along with the condensed sweetened milk before you pour it over the bars.
Chocolate Chips – Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, you could use peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips. This will obviously change the flavor of the bars and probably make them a bit sweeter, but could be a good substitute if you don’t have or don’t want to use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Add Nuts for Texture – If you want to switch things up, you could add chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
Brown Sugar – If you don’t have light-brown sugar, no big deal. You can use dark-brown sugar also. It may add a richer more molasses flavor, but it won’t make a huge difference and it will still taste great.
Mix the Caramel Sauce In – If you don’t have sweetened condensed milk, or don’t want to go through the process of combining the caramel and condensed milk together to make a layer, these bars are still so good with the caramel sauce combined in the dough. Simply pour the caramel sauce on top or mix it into the dough. You’ll get a variation of these bars which will still give it a chewy texture and caramel flavor but without all the ooey-gooeyness.

Equipment

Mixer – Kitchenaid Stand Mixer or this Kitchenaid Hand Mixer is a favorite of mine.
Mixing Bowls
Spatula or Wooden Spoon
9×13 Baking Dish
Parchment Paper

Storage

Store the bars in an airtight container for about 2-3 days. If you are refrigerating them, make sure to let them return to room temperature before eating.

You may also freeze these bars. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then in a Ziplock bag for up to 2-3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before consuming.

FAQ

Can I substitute evaporated milk for the sweetened condensed milk?

Sweetened condensed milk is sweetened, evaporated milk is not. This would produce a very different flavor and has not been tested. I’d recommend sticking with sweetened condensed milk! If you do try evaporated, let us know how that turns out!

Can I use wrapped caramel squares instead of caramel sauce?

Yes, you can! If you have caramels (or caramel bits) in the house but no sauce, you can certainly make a sauce out of them. You’ll need about 15 unwrapped caramel squares to get the same amount of caramel sauce needed for this recipe. You can also use one cup of caramel bits. Add the caramel pieces to a saucepan on the stovetop and add the sweetened condensed milk to the pan. Whisk together until the caramel is melted and the ingredients are fully combined. Then use as directed in the recipe card.

Do I have to use semi-sweet chocolate chips?

You don’t have to, but they certainly even out the sweetness of these bars! You could also try milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips. The white chocolate chips are considerably sweeter than the semi-sweet ones, though!

My bars are undercooked! What happened?

This recipe calls for a longer cook time due to the layers of cookie dough. You’ll want to make sure they are in the oven for at least 40 minutes on the center rack. Stick a toothpick in the middle of the bars. If there is still wet dough on the toothpick, they aren’t ready to come out yet. There will be no wet dough on the toothpick once they are done (there may be cookie dough crumbs or caramel sauce) and the top of the bars will be golden brown.

Can I make these caramel chocolate chip bars with gluten-free flour?

I did not test these bars with gluten-free flour, so I cannot guarantee the results.

Can I freeze these bars?

Yes! Make sure to wrap them in plastic wrap and inside of a Ziplock bag or other airtight container. These bars can last for 2-3 months frozen. When ready to eat, allow them to sit at room temperature as they thaw.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these: