Name: Chocolate Caramel Bars with Shortbread Crust
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients: 4 sticks unsalted butter (softened); 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 cup granulated sugar; 6 tsp vanilla extract; 4 cups flour; 14 oz baking caramel bits; 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream; 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

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These Chocolate Caramel Bars with Shortbread Crust will be your new favorite dessert bar recipe! The shortbread crust is buttery, then you get that rich chocolate and gooey caramel in the middle and then topped off with more shortbread! It reminds me of one of my favorite candy bars, TWIX!

These dessert bars are a total hit and we just know you’re going to love them! You can make them for parties or even cookie swaps, everyone will be asking for the recipe too. The gooey chocolate and caramel center goes so well with the buttery shortbread crust. Want more chocolate? You can totally add some mini chocolate chips to the top before the final bake or even a simple drizzle of chocolate after it’s done cooling.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BARS WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

unsalted butter
powdered sugar
granulated sugar
vanilla extract
flour
baking caramels
heavy cream
chocolate chips

HOW TO MAKE SHORTBREAD CRUST

In a large, bowl you’ll combine the butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Once that is all in the bowl you can mix until it’s well mixed.

Then slowly add in the flour until all is combined.

This shortbread mixture will be for the bottom and the top of the dessert bars. You’ll bake the bottom layer before adding the fillings.

HOW TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL DESSERT BAR FILLING

To make the chocolate caramel mixture you’ll heat the caramels and heavy cream in small saucepan until melted and gooey.

Pour the melted caramel over the shortbread cookie crust and then cover the caramel with the chocolate chips.

To finish you just need to top with more of the shortbread mixture and then bake in a 325 degree F oven for about 35-40 minutes.

Allow the bars to cool before cutting.

more caramel desserts

TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BARS WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

You can use milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, or dark chocolate. We recommend dark or semisweet.
Make sure you let the chocolate caramel bars cool before cutting. They can be a bit gooey and by allowing it to cool you get bars that look like perfection!
If you can’t find the baking caramel bits you can use the square caramels, just make sure it’s the same amount.
This recipe calls for unsalted butter, we always recommend using unsalted butter for baked goods unless otherwise stated.

This article was written by Courtney’s Sweets, the recipe is from our guest chef Amanda.

Chocolate Caramel Bars with Shortbread Crust

Print Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bars, caramel, chocolate, shortbread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: bars

Calories: 431

Author: Courtney Lopez

Ingredients

4 sticks unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups flour
14 oz baking caramel bits
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and then spray it with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla and mix together until the butter is well combined.
Slowly add in the flour and mix well until all of the flour is added.
Take 3-4 cups of the dough mixture and press it into the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the base is set and the edges are golden.
Set aside to cool.
While the shortbread crust bottom is cooling, add the caramels and heavy cream into a pan and stir together on the stovetop until it’s all melted and gooey.
Pour the caramel over the cookie base.
Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of your caramel layer.
Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out some dough from the remaining dough in your bowl. Roll the dough into a ball and press it flat like a disc, then lay them all over your chocolate chip layer allowing them to overlap a little bit.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown
Once done allow bars to cool completely before cutting.