If you’re looking for the ultimate indulgent dessert, these brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars with a gooey salted caramel center will blow you away. Imagine everything you love about a warm chocolate chip cookie—chewy edges, soft centers, melty chocolate chips—but with a rich, golden layer of salted caramel running through the middle. It’s sweet, salty, buttery perfection in every bite.

The magic starts with browned butter, which adds a deep, nutty flavor and gives the bars a toasty, toffee-like base. Then comes the surprise: a thick ribbon of caramel sprinkled with sea salt that bakes into the center, staying soft and gooey long after the bars have cooled. It’s the kind of dessert that stops conversations and has everyone reaching for seconds.

These bars are perfect for potlucks, parties, or cozy nights in when you’re craving something a little extra. They’re easy to make—no mixer, no dough chilling, and no individual scooping. Just layer, bake, slice, and enjoy. Let’s dive in!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup brown butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup caramel (or enough to drizzle and make a layer in the middle of your cookie bars)
• Sea salt

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat until little brown bits start to form on the bottom. Remove from heat immediately and let cool. (The butter will go from brown to burnt quickly so be sure to watch it!)
2. Transfer melted brown butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and add sugars. Mix to combine.
3. Add eggs and vanilla and mix.
4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
5. Add chocolate chips and fold in with a spatula.
6. Dump half of the cookie dough into the bottom of a square baking dish (about 9×9)
7. Drizzle caramel on top of the dough making a thin layer.
8. Sprinkle sea salt on top of that.
9. Dump the remaining cookie dough in globs on top of the caramel layer and gently press together to cover up the caramel. It’s okay if you have pockets of caramel coming through!
10. Bake at 350° F for 25-30min until the top is golden brown.
11. Let cool completely before cutting into squares to let the dough set.
12. Enjoy!!