Salted Caramel Cookie Bars with Chocolate Chips and Pecans are an easy dessert for any day of the week. The perfect loaded cookie bar with crunchy edges and chewy middles.

I really love desserts, probably more than I should. I wish I loved vegetables as much as I love dessert but that portion of my life has yet to surface. I have a major sweet tooth and cookies are my go-to dessert.

Sometimes I go with cookie bars just because they are an easy alternative to scooping and baking 4 cookie sheets of cookies. Plus you get those ooey gooey middles with a big pan of cookie bars!

My husband loves crunchy cookies and I love them soft and chewy. These Salted Caramel Cookie Bars are really the best of both worlds.

I made these after my mom had been making batch after batch of these Salted Caramel Pecan Cookies from Add a Pinch. If you don’t have her cookbook yet, GET IT!

As you know, I have trouble just trying a recipe, I always have some idea to change it up. In this case, I browned the butter and added chocolate chips and made them into bars. Best idea ever!

My mom says she adds white chocolate chips to hers and I still have to give that a try. Really you can add in your favorites but don’ t skip the caramels or the salt!

I have fallen in love with Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. My sister in law gave me a little to try and now I am adding them to everything I cook! I’m obsessed. I couldn’t find it at our small town grocery store but it’s easy to get from Amazon.

I’ve become a sweet and salty fanatic, especially when it comes to caramel. I was a little sad when the doctor recently suggested I watch my salt intake. Dang it.

I thought I might have over baked these cookie bars but everyone absolutely loved the crunchy texture. The caramel bits keep them chewy in the middle.

I made these easy cookie bars over the weekend and as everyone passed through the house, they were grabbing a cookie and then coming back for more. The batch didn’t even last one day! So I guess this one’s a keeper!

What makes these cookie bars so irresistible?  I start with browned butter and it’ totally worth the extra step, trust me. If you haven’t browned butter before, just make sure to watch the pan, it can burn before you know it.

I add browned butter to my favorite Browned Butter Pound Cake and it makes the most incredible mashed potatoes! What are you waiting for? Seriously!

How to Make Salted Caramel Cookie Bars:

I started out by browning the butter and letting it cool for a few minutes. Just look at those gorgeous golden bits.

I added in the sugars,egg and vanilla.

Next I added the flour and you will notice that I didn’t add any baking powder or baking soda. I often leave it out to achieve a crunchier texture.

Then I loaded these bars up with caramel bits, chocolate chips and lots of chopped pecans. Caramel Bits can be found near the chocolate chips in the baking isle or on Amazon. So much easier than unwrapping 52 caramel candies!

It almost seemed like to much for the dough but it came together well when I pressed it into the pan. I sprinkled the top with the Maldon Salt Flakes and then popped it in the oven.

I just let it cool slightly and then removed it from the pan and cut it into bars immediately.

Often times everyone tells me that my cookies are good, but everyone couldn’t stop talking about these. They might just be our new favorite!!

They are perfect to pack in lunches or to bring to a cookout or just for an easy weeknight dessert. I am such a sugar addict, I want dessert every day.

I have been trying to eat a little healthier but these cookies were a challenge to not go crazy and eat the entire batch. They are that good and I’m totally ready to make another batch.

Great Add- Ins for Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

• Milk Chocolate Chips
• White Chocolate Chips
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Chopped Peanuts
• Chopped Walnuts

Yield: 12

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup browned butter, cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup caramel bits
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/2- 1 teaspoon Maldon Flake Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add browned butter to a mixing bowl and add sugars, mixing well with an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat until combined.

Add flour and mix until well combined.

Add caramel bits, chocolate chips and toasted pecans. Mix together until well combined. Press into a 9 x 13 -inch pan.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cut into bars.

Serve warm or a room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 284 Total Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 36mg Sodium: 140mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 19g Protein: 3g

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