The Perfect Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie Bars Recipe

Salted caramel chocolate chip oat cookie bars offer a delightful twist on traditional sweet treats that dance between indulgence and comfort.

These decadent bars blend rich, complex flavors with a satisfying texture that makes them impossible to resist.

Layers of buttery oats mingle with deep chocolate and silky caramel, creating a harmony of sweet and salty notes.

Each bite promises a luxurious experience that revolutionizes ordinary dessert moments into something extraordinary.

Homemade goodness radiates from these bars, inviting you to savor every crumbly, gooey morsel.

Crafted with simple ingredients and minimal effort, they represent the perfect balance of sophistication and accessibility.

Bakers of all skill levels can master this irresistible recipe.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie Bars That Melt in Your Mouth

• Create Caramel Magic: The homemade salted caramel transforms ordinary cookie bars into a luxurious dessert experience, delivering deep, complex flavors that dance between sweet, buttery, and slightly salty notes.
• Texture Treasure Trove: Enjoy a delightful contrast between the crisp cookie base, gooey caramel center, and crunchy chocolate chips, creating a multi-dimensional mouthfeel that keeps every bite interesting and satisfying.
• Make-Ahead Dessert Hero: These bars are perfect for busy bakers, allowing you to prepare components in advance and assemble quickly, making them ideal for last-minute gatherings, potlucks, or unexpected sweet cravings without complicated preparation.

Ingredients for These Sweet and Salty Cookie Bars

• Oats: Hearty whole grain that provides a nutty texture and wholesome base for the bars.
• Flour: Helps bind the cookie dough and create a tender structure.
• Baking Powder: Ensures light and soft cookie texture with gentle rise.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.

• Dark Brown Sugar: Adds deep caramel-like sweetness and moisture to the cookie base.
• Butter: Provides rich flavor and creates a tender, soft texture.
• Egg, Egg Yolk: Binds ingredients together and adds richness and structure.
• Vanilla: Brings warm, aromatic flavor that complements chocolate and caramel.

• Semisweet Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Chips: Delivers rich chocolate flavor with different intensity levels.
• Chopped Nuts: Adds crunch and nutty complexity to the cookie bars.
• Flaky Sea Salt: Provides a finishing touch that enhances and balances caramel and chocolate flavors.

• Sugar: The fundamental base for creating rich, golden caramel.
• Water: Helps dissolve sugar evenly during caramelization.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps create smooth caramel texture.
• Heavy Cream: Creates creamy, luxurious consistency in the caramel.
• Kosher Salt: Balances and deepens caramel's sweetness.
• Flour: Helps stabilize and thicken the caramel sauce.
• Vanilla: Adds warm, aromatic background note to the caramel.

Baking Instructions for Oatmeal Caramel Cookie Bars

Step 1: Craft the Caramel Base

• Gather ingredients at room temperature
• Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan
• Combine water and sugar
• Stir gently without splashing sides
• Heat on medium, allowing sugar to dissolve
• Watch carefully as color transforms from clear to golden to amber
• Remove from heat immediately when amber-colored

Step 2: Elevate the Caramel

• Whisk in butter vigorously
• Slowly incorporate heavy cream until smooth
• Add vanilla and kosher salt
• Return to medium heat for 2 minutes
• Blend in flour
• Set caramel mixture aside to cool

Step 3: Prepare Cookie Dough Foundation

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
• Line 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper
• Grease dish sides

• Oats
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Salt

• Butter
• Dark brown sugar
• Egg
• Egg yolk
• Vanilla
• Mix wet and dry ingredients separately
• Fold in semisweet chocolate chips

Step 4: Layer and Assemble

• Spread 2/3 of cookie dough evenly
• Sprinkle chopped nuts
• Bake for 8 minutes
• Refrigerate remaining dough

Step 5: Create Decadent Layers

• Remove from oven
• Top crust with dark chocolate chips
• Pour caramel evenly
• Drop remaining dough randomly on top
• Bake 20-25 minutes until golden

Step 6: Cool and Serve

• Rest at room temperature for 30 minutes
• Refrigerate for 1 hour
• Release from pan if needed
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt
• Slice into squares
• Enjoy your luxurious treat!

Tips for Perfect Texture and Flavor Balance

• Master Caramel Precision: Watch the sugar transformation closely, as it can quickly burn from golden to bitter. Use a light-colored pan to better track color changes during caramelization.
• Prevent Overbaking: Check the bars at 20 minutes, looking for light golden edges. Slightly underbaked bars will continue cooking while cooling, ensuring a soft, chewy texture.
• Control Chocolate Melt: Refrigerate chocolate chips before adding to prevent immediate melting, creating beautiful chocolate pockets throughout the bars.
• Achieve Perfect Layers: Use an offset spatula to evenly spread cookie dough and caramel, creating consistent texture and professional-looking bars.
• Enhance Flavor Depth: Toast nuts before adding to intensify their nutty flavor and provide a delightful crunch against the soft, gooey caramel base.

Storing and Reheating Cookie Bars Without Drying Them

• Refrigerate: Store cooled bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
• Freeze: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, ensuring complete seal to prevent freezer burn.
• Reheat: Warm refrigerated or thawed bars in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or restore crispy texture by briefly heating in a preheated 350°F oven for 2-3 minutes.

Best Beverages to Pair with These Cookie Bars

• Discover Creamy Companions: Pair these decadent salted caramel chocolate chip oat cookie bars with a cold glass of whole milk or a creamy vanilla bean latte. The rich, smooth beverages complement the bar's complex textures and balance the intense chocolate and caramel flavors.
• Unleash Dessert Wine Magic: Serve alongside a glass of late harvest Riesling or a tawny port. These sweet wines enhance the caramel's depth and provide a luxurious counterpoint to the nutty, chocolatey base of the cookie bars.
• Brew Perfect Coffee Matches: Enjoy with an espresso or smooth cold brew coffee. The strong, slightly bitter coffee cuts through the sweetness and highlights the salt and chocolate notes, creating a sophisticated dessert experience.
• Transform Ice Cream Indulgence: Top a warm bar with a scoop of vanilla bean or salted caramel ice cream. The temperature contrast and complementary flavors elevate this dessert into a restaurant-quality treat that delights every sense.

Flavor Swaps for Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

• Nutty Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars: Replace chopped nuts with toasted pecans or almonds, adding a rich, crunchy texture to the existing recipe. Enhance the caramel with a dash of bourbon for deeper flavor complexity.
• Coconut Chocolate Salted Caramel Bars: Incorporate shredded coconut into the cookie dough and sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top before baking. Use coconut sugar instead of dark brown sugar for a subtle tropical undertone.
• Espresso Chocolate Caramel Bars: Mix instant espresso powder into the dry ingredients to create a mocha-inspired version. Drizzle dark chocolate ganache over the cooled bars for an extra coffee-chocolate punch.
• White Chocolate Raspberry Caramel Bars: Swap semisweet chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and fold in freeze-dried raspberry pieces. Swirl a raspberry reduction into the caramel for a fruity, tangy contrast.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie Bars Recipe

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4.5 from 28 reviews

• Total Time: 53 minutes
• Yield: 16 1x

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Description

Salted caramel chocolate chip oat cookie bars blend rich, gooey caramel with classic chocolate chip comfort. Layers of sweet and salty create irresistible indulgence that will leave you craving another delicious square.

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Ingredients

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Homemade Salted Caramel:

Main Ingredients:

• 0.75 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 0.25 cup + 2 tablespoons (90 grams) water

Supporting Ingredients:

• 4.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
• 0.25 cup + 2 tablespoons (100 grams) heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 hefty pinch kosher salt

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:

Main Ingredients:

• 1.25 cup (165 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (95 grams) quick oats
• 1 cup (210 grams) dark brown sugar, packed

Chocolate and Nuts:

• 0.75 cup (130 grams) dark chocolate chips
• 0.5 cup (85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• 0.75 cup (95 grams) walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

Supporting Ingredients:

• 0.5 cup (110 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Craft the caramel foundation by gathering ingredients and ensuring cream reaches ambient temperature.
2. In a weighty saucepan, gently merge water and sugar without disturbing the pan’s sides, maintaining an even distribution.
3. Apply medium heat, allowing sugar to transform from transparent to golden without manual intervention, watching intently for color evolution.
4. Once amber hues emerge, immediately extract from heat and vigorously incorporate butter using swift whisking motions.
5. Gradually introduce heavy cream, creating a silky consistency while integrating vanilla and kosher salt.
6. Return caramel to moderate heat, whisking in flour to stabilize the mixture, then set aside for cooling.
7. Preheat kitchen apparatus to 350°F and prepare an 8×8-inch vessel with parchment, ensuring comprehensive coverage and light lubrication.
8. Combine dry elements – oats, flour, leavening agent, and seasoning – using a thorough whisking technique.
9. In a separate vessel, cream butter and dark brown sugar until harmoniously blended, then introduce egg components and vanilla extract.
10. Merge dry and wet mixtures cautiously, avoiding over-manipulation, then gently fold in semisweet chocolate fragments.
11. Distribute approximately two-thirds of cookie mixture across prepared pan, sprinkling chopped nuts for textural complexity.
12. Execute initial baking cycle for 8 minutes, simultaneously refrigerating remaining dough.
13. Extract partially baked foundation, strategically layer dark chocolate chips, and cascade caramel evenly.
14. Artfully deposit remaining dough clusters across the surface.
15. Complete baking process for 20-25 minutes until achieving delicate golden coloration.
16. Allow thermal equilibration at ambient temperature for half an hour, then refrigerate for comprehensive setting.
17. Liberate bars from pan, embellish with delicate sea salt crystals, and slice into precise squares for serving.

Notes

• Caramel Precision Matters: Carefully monitor sugar transformation from clear to amber to prevent burning, which can ruin the entire batch’s flavor profile.
• Temperature Control is Key: Room temperature ingredients ensure smooth caramel and consistent cookie dough mixing without unexpected texture changes.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Refrigerating the bars helps set the caramel and creates a firmer, more sliceable texture for perfect square presentations.
• Strategic Layering Technique: Spreading dough in stages and adding chocolate chips mid-bake allows for complex flavor development and textural intrigue.
• Salt Enhancement Trick: Finishing with flaky sea salt elevates the sweet-savory balance, transforming ordinary cookie bars into a gourmet dessert experience.
• Parchment Paper Lifesaver: Lining the baking dish ensures easy removal and prevents sticking, making cleanup and serving significantly easier.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 33 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 16
• Calories: 392
• Sugar: 24g
• Sodium: 200mg
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 43g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 38mg