Salted Caramel Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
User Reviews
4.7
Salted Caramel Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Description
The butter is browned carefully over medium-low heat until the milk solids turn toasty brown, adding a nutty depth to the batter. After cooling slightly, sugars and leavening agents are mixed in, followed by eggs, vanilla, flour, and chocolate chips, creating a thick cookie-bar batter. The batter is spread in a prepared pan to bake evenly.
Soft caramel candies are unwrapped and distributed over the partially baked bars, which are then returned to the oven to melt the caramel slightly. A light sprinkle of sea salt adds a savory counterpoint to the sweetness. The final product is rich, with a balance of buttery, sweet, and salty flavors with pockets of gooey caramel.
Homemade caramel can be used as an alternative to store-bought candies, with about 1.5 cups recommended.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter salted
- 1 cup light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 egg large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
- 14-ounce ounce bag caramel candies unwrapped (not caramel sauce, soft
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
- ⅛ to ¼ to ¼ teaspoon sea salt optional, coarse
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan (I use metal) with foil or parchment paper (to make cleanup easier with the caramel). Lightly grease the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Brown the butter by cutting the butter into tablespoon-size pieces and placing in a skillet (preferably not nonstick so you can see the changing color easily - quick tutorial here). Cook over medium-low heat until the butter melts, begins to sizzle, and the butter solids on the bottom begin to turn a toasty brown, 3-4 minutes. Watch closely; the exact time will vary. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a medium bowl. Refrigerate the butter for 10 minutes or so (not too long or it will solidify) until no longer hot.
- Stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt to the browned butter until evenly combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips until no dry streaks remain.
- Take about 2/3 of the dough and dot in large pieces across the bottom of the prepared pan. Press into an even, thin layer.
- Add the unwrapped caramels and cream to a microwave-safe bowl and cook for 1-minute increments at 50% power, stirring in between, until the mixture is melted and smooth (careful not to burn).
- Spread the caramel, while still warm, over the cookie dough in the pan. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired. Pinch teaspoon-size pieces of remaining cookie dough and sprinkle across the caramel.
- Bake for 20-27 minutes until the cookie dough is golden (the bars will be super gooey coming out of the oven - like molten lava because of the melted caramel; as long as the top and sides are golden, they'll set up as they cool). Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
- For caramel, about 1 1/2 cups of homemade caramel can be used in place of candies.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Bars (9X13-inch pan of bars)
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Bar | |
| Calories | 236kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 37g | 12% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 32mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 184mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 28g | 56% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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