Easy Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars

I was feeling kind of hungry for something good and yummy! Hmmm, maybe with chocolate or caramel??? I didn’t really feel like making cookies as you need to keep making batch after batch until the bowl is empty. I was thinking bar cookies, spread them in a pan and into the oven they go… I searched my kitchen cabinets. Oh look, a can of sweetened condensed milk, half a package of dark chocolate chips, and caramel bits too! I had an idea I was inspired! I made a simple shortbread for the crust and the topping couldn’t have been easier. See below for a very easy, yummy bar cookie recipe. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9” baking dish.

Crust:

1 - 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
2 - 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream the butter and the sugar, add the vanilla, stir well to combine. Add the flour a little at a time stir well until completely incorporated. Dump dough into your prepared pan. Using your fingers spread the dough out so that it evenly covers the bottom of the dish.

Topping:

1 – 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 - 16 oz package dark chocolate chips

1/2 - 11 oz package of Kraft Caramel Bits

Pour the milk over the dough and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and the caramel bits over the top. You can use all the chips/bits from both packages if you want extra chocolate and caramel cookies. The caramel is a bit chewy.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until completely set and the crust is slightly browned on the edges. Cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into bars.

This recipe does not need any high altitude adjustments.