Gooey Chocolate Caramel Bars Recipe
Indulge in these Gooey Chocolate Caramel Bars featuring a rich cocoa-infused base loaded with milk chocolate chips and luscious caramel bits, finished with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt for the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Whether you prefer thick, chewy, or crispy bars, this versatile recipe lets you choose your pan size for your ideal gooey treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-32 minutes
- Total Time: 40-47 minutes
- Yield: 16-24 bars depending on pan size 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee (optional, for mocha flavor)
Add-ins
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup caramel bits
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt (for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Prep your pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your chosen baking pan with oil. Use an 8.5×11 inch pan for thick gooey bars, an 11×13 inch pan for classic chewy texture, or a 13×17 inch pan for crispy edges.
- Cream the base: In a large bowl, beat softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and cocoa powder, mixing well until smooth and chocolate-scented.
- Add the eggs: Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should become glossy and well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and instant coffee granules if using, until evenly combined.
- Combine gently: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until the flour streaks disappear—avoid overmixing to prevent tough bars.
- Fold in goodies: Fold in the milk chocolate chips and caramel bits evenly throughout the batter.
- Spread and sprinkle: Press the batter evenly into the prepared pan. For a salted caramel touch, sprinkle the coarse sea salt over the top before baking.
- Bake to perfection: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly. Adjust baking time based on pan size: thick bars need an additional 5-7 minutes, thin bars may be done around 18 minutes.
- Cool completely: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. For a coffee shop flair, drizzle with chocolate or caramel syrup before serving.
Notes
- Choose your pan size based on desired bar thickness and texture: smaller pan for gooey, larger for crispy edges.
- Instant coffee granules enhance the chocolate flavor and create mocha bars when added with cocoa powder.
- Do not overmix batter after adding flour to ensure tender bars.
- Allow bars to cool fully for clean cutting and optimal gooey texture.
- Optional toppings like drizzled chocolate or caramel syrup add a decadent finishing touch.
Keywords: chocolate caramel bars, gooey chocolate bars, caramel dessert, chocolate chip bars, easy baked bars, mocha chocolate bars, salted caramel
