Description

Discover the perfect balance of sweet and salty with these irresistible Salted Caramel Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars. This delightful dessert combines rich dark cocoa, buttery sugar cookie base, and a smooth salted caramel frosting, garnished with coarse sea salt for an elegant and comforting treat perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Bars

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons caramel coffee creamer (or milk)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

For the Frosting and Garnish

1 Batch Salted Caramel Frosting (recipe not included)
Coarse ground sea salt for garnish

Instructions

Prepare Your Workspace: Gather all ingredients and preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray ensuring even coverage for easy removal of the cookie bars.
Create the Base: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with both brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is light and creamy, which should take about 2-3 minutes using a hand or stand mixer.
Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and caramel coffee creamer (or milk) to the butter and sugar mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined and free of lumps.
Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until a soft, cohesive dough forms.
Shape and Bake: Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing out the surface to ensure an even thickness. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 14-15 minutes, being careful not to overbake to keep the bars soft and chewy.
Cool and Frost: Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, spread the salted caramel frosting evenly over the top, then sprinkle with coarse ground sea salt to enhance the sweet and salty flavor profile.

Notes

Be careful not to overbake the cookie bars to maintain a soft, chewy texture.
If caramel coffee creamer is unavailable, use regular milk with a teaspoon of caramel syrup as a substitute.
Ensure the bars are completely cooled before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Adjust the amount of sea salt garnish to taste for desired saltiness.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Salted Caramel, Chocolate, Sugar Cookie Bars, Dessert, Baking, Sweet and Salty