Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars

I have literally been trying to get this recipe posted for weeks. I have now made these bars four times in the last month, first three disappeared to work, family and friends. But finally, I saved some for photos and am now getting the recipe out.  So the lesson is that these are really good and go really fast. Also of note, they are pretty darn easy. 

My husband had some guys from work over after golfing one weekend and I decided these would be something easy to make since I had just tore my knee in half the week before (okay, that might be a bit dramatic, but I still can't get that ripping noise out of my head. shiver.) I make chocolate chip cookies ALL THE TIME but I thought I'd add some flare by making it a bar (easier) and add a caramel layer in the middle. (gooey goodness)

Voila. Chocolate chip caramel cookie bars. I need to think of a catchier name but I got nothin for now. I feel like people in the south always have the best names for desserts. Hummingbird cake, better than sex cake, slap your mama something or other. We need to step up our game here in the midwest. 

These totally hit the spot, they have a slight crunch from the cookie part and the gooeyness from the caramel. It's a great little combo and very busted up knee friendly. If you are feeling all homemade, then you can try my from-scratch caramel recipe here. No shame in going the semi-homemade route either. 

I would love to know what you think of these! Leave me a comment and let me know whatcha think! And if you bake anything from Lolo's, post it and use the hashtag #lolosdesserts. Love to see what you are baking!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

10 ounces soft caramels

Directions

1. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper or foil. Spray with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda. Mix again until all incorporated and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Add the flour a bit at a time and mix after each addition until just combined. Pour in the chocolate chips, mix again. Press half the cookie dough to the bottom of your prepared baking dish and set aside.

5. In a medium saucepan, combine the condensed milk and caramels (unwrapping caramels is not fun, I feel ya) Continue stirring over low-medium heat until all is smooth. If you want homemade caramel, then try the ridiculously amazing caramel recipe linked in the intro. Just add the condensed milk at the end.

6. Pour the caramel filling over the raw cookie dough base and use a spatula to smooth out evenly.

7. With the remaining cookie dough, drop in clumps over the caramel layer. About a teaspoon size for each clump, until the whole layer is covered.

8. Bake for 25-28 minutes, should be lightly golden on the top. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting them into bars.

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