Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (2024)

For the caramel:

• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick / 56 g) vegan butter*, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) nondairy creamer, at room temperature we prefer soy or oat
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the cookie bars:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 170 g) vegan butter*
• 3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) nondairy milk we prefer soy or oat
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour measured correctly**
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 cup (126 g) vegan chocolate chips

Make the caramel:

• Place the sugar into a saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir often, until the sugar begins to clump and melt. Continue to stir until the sugar melts completely.***

• Remove from heat and add in the butter, whisking until combined. Add the creamer and whisk until combined.****

• Place back onto low-medium heat, continuously stirring, until it gets bubbly. Stir for another minute or so.

• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

• Strain the caramel into a heat-safe bowl. Set aside for later.

Make the cookie dough:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.

• In a large, heat-safe bowl, melt the vegan butter sticks ~1/3 – 1/2 of the way (this takes about 30-45 seconds in our microwave) and then mix it together until it's all one consistency (see pictures above for example).

• Add the sugars, milk, and vanilla to the butter. Beat until combined.

• Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch to the wet mixture. Mix until combined.

• Fold in the chocolate chips.

Make the bars:

• Press ~1/2 the cookie dough into your prepared baking sheet.

• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.

  See Also

  Prosciutto and Arugula Sandwich on Ciabatta Bread | Alexandra's Kitchen

• Stir the caramel. If it has thickened too much so that it won't pour smoothly, heat it up in the microwave for ~15 seconds or place back on the stove over low-medium heat until it thins out.

• Pour the caramel over the partially cooked dough and spread it around evenly.

• Take small pieces of the remaining dough and flatten them with your hands, then place them evenly over the caramel. Continue until all of the dough is used up.

• Place back into the preheated oven for another 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown.

• Let the bars cool completely and then slice into 16 bars.

*You should use vegan buttery sticks (like Earth Balance) in this recipe rather than butter out of a tub.

**Measure your flour using this method or your bars may turn out dry and crumbly.

***You’ll need some patience for this. Continuously stir the sugar and don’t increase the heat past medium if it’s not melting, it’ll take a few minutes before it begins to melt at all!

****If your sugar seizes when adding one of these ingredients, place it back over low-medium heat and continuously whisk until the ingredients combine, then continue with the next step.