Description
These Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie Bars combine the chewy texture of oats with gooey caramel and rich chocolate chips, topped with a hint of sea salt for the perfect balance of sweet and salty. These bars are baked to golden perfection and make an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add-Ins
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup caramel bits or soft caramel candies, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Add Oats and Mix-ins: Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and caramel bits until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Prepare for Baking: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are set. Be careful not to overbake.
- Add Sea Salt: Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the top of the bars. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Cut and Serve: Once cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- For softer bars, slightly underbake and let them cool completely before cutting.
- Caramel bits can be substituted with chopped soft caramel candies for a gooier texture.
- Use parchment paper in the pan for easy removal and cleaner cuts.
- Sprinkling sea salt while hot enhances the salted caramel flavor beautifully.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
