These egg-free chocolate chip caramel cookie bars are crazy delicious and so easy to make! Cut them bite-size, and they’ll be totally irresistible.

Before I get to these delicious little cookie bars, I just have to say how overwhelmed and loved I felt after reading all of your comments (and even more individual emails that were sent) after my post on Friday.

Thank you for allowing me to break from food for a day and go down that personal road.

Caramel chocolate chip cookie bars on a white platter in front of a glass jar of milk.

Not only were your comments heartfelt and so, so uplifting, but I was in complete wonder at the number of people who are going through similar (and definitely more challenging and traumatic!) situations, not to mention those of you who have family members and friends dealing with skin cancer on varying levels.

Thank you for sharing. You’ll never really know how much it means to me.

I was in tears as I read about so many of you fighting a brave battle and was so excited to hear from those of you who committed to take better care of your skin in the sun.

After a lot of requests, I’ll be putting together a list of my suncare recommendations (and thanks to so many of you who shared yours as well, I’ll be trying some new things, too!). Anyway, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now.

On to these fabulous little chocolate chip caramel cookie bars.

Four stacked up caramel chocolate chip cookie bars on a small round plate.

Simple as can be, these bars are exactly what they say they are: a delicious oatmeal, caramel, chocolate cookie in bar form. On the thin, cookie-ish side of things, these layered bars are completely irresistible.

I cut them in itty bitty squares (maybe 1-inch by 1-inch), and it was a very bad decision.

If you’ve had experience with bite-size desserts, you’ll know it’s waaaaay too easy to mindlessly eat about 45 of them in one sitting.

Or not?

Perhaps you have more self-control than I. Good for you (I’m not bitter about that, not at all, nope, not me).

I detailed this in the notes below, but these chocolate chip caramel cookie bars double great for a crowd when baked in a large, rimmed baking sheet (like the 11X17-inch or so size).

But whatever you do, don’t go crazy and make a double batch if it’s only you and your cat. You’ll hate me.

And if it’s ok with you, I’d rather we stay on speaking terms. Thanks.

Squares of cut up caramel chocolate chip cookie bars on a white platter.

One Year Ago: Fudgy Chocolate Chip Yogurt Cake
Two Years Ago: Perfected Yellow Cake
Three Years Ago: Hawaiian Fried Rice

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Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookie Bars

4.74 stars (46 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
  • 1 cup (212 g) light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (213 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (150 g) old-fashioned oats
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup caramel sauce, I use Trader Joe's caramel sauce or homemade (see note)
  • 1 cup (170 g) semisweet, bittersweet or milk chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch aluminum baking pan with foil (helps with cleanup) and lightly grease with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the softened butter and brown sugar until well-mixed. Add the flour, oats, salt and baking soda and mix until combined.
  • Press about 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10-11 minutes until lightly golden and puffy.
  • Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel. Finish by crumbling the remaining cookie mixture on top.
  • Bake for another 12-13 minutes until the edges are golden and the caramel is bubbling.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

Notes

Caramel: here is my favorite homemade version. 
Doubling the Recipe: this recipe doubles beautifully for a large, rimmed cookie sheet (the 11X17-inch or so size).
Oats: I haven’t used quick oats in this recipe but I suspect they’ll work just fine.
Serving: 1 Bar, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 198mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Hilary by way of her sister-in-law, Hollie (I cut the recipe in half, altered a few of the ingredients, added weights, etc)