Salted Caramel Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Layers of soft oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough, homemade gooey salted caramel, rich dark chocolate and toasted nuts. These have all the best flavors and textures.

Salted Caramel

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. salt

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnuts finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment enough to hang over the edges.

Starting with the caramel, get all of the ingredients together. In a heavy bottom sauce pan add in the granulated sugar over medium low heat. Melt down the sugar and gradually swirl it every 20 seconds and let it completely melt until the sugar is a deep golden. It will clump up at first but be patient and don’t walk away. 

Once it’s completely melted, remove from the heat and add in the butter, swirl it around until it’s melted in. It will bubble up. Then pour in the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt. Stir until everything is evenly combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

For the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter and brown sugar mix together until light and fluffy. Then add in the vanilla and eggs and continue to mix.

In a separate bowl combine together the flour, oats, baking powder and salt, whisk together. Pour into the stand mixer and combine everything together until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide half of the dough and press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon half of the caramel over the dough along with the walnuts. Press the other half of the dough evenly over the top and the other half of the caramel. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Let cool before cutting.