Salted Caramel Cookie Bars



This is another recipe that I found via Pinterest.  I actually followed this one to the letter.  I'm pleased with how they turned out.  This is actually time consuming to make, but the sweet/salty/buttery combination can't be beat.  I hope you enjoy them too!

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars
(adapted from Cookies and Cups)


2 sticks, unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour

Caramel Filling:
30 pieces of caramel candies, unwrapped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt or 1/2 tablespoon sea salt

For the crust:

Grease an 8x11 inch baking dish.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In your stand mixer, cream butter on medium speed until softened. Add in both sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and mix until combined. Sift in the 2 cups of flour and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
Press a 1/3 of the dough into your prepared pan to form a bottom crust and prick all over with a fork. Cover the remaining 2/3 and chill in the refrigerator. Bake the crust until brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

While your crust is cooling, either in the microwave or stove top melt your caramels with the vanilla and cream until smooth.  I melted mine in 1 minute intervals in the microwave at 50% power.  This took about 5 minutes.  I stirred the caramels and cream together at the end of each minute to help smooth out the caramels. 

Pour the caramel over your baked crust and sprinkle with salt.

Remove remaining crust from the fridge and crumble the chilled dough over the caramel. 

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.

 ~Enjoy~

peace & blessings

Lisa