Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookie Bars with Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate chip cookie layer
-1/2 stick of butter, softened
-2 Tbsp sugar
-1/4 cup light brown sugar
-1 egg
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-3/4 cup flour
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
-1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together butter and both sugars. Add egg and vanilla, stir to combine. Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) and add to dough. Mix in chocolate chips. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and flatten the cookie dough into the pan. (Tip: use slightly wet hands to keep the dough from sticking when you flatten it into the pan). Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the center is no longer doughy. Allow to completely cool before the next step.

Homemade Caramel
(Or you can use store bought caramel if you want to skip this step. I won’t tell! 🤫)
-1/2 cup sugar
-3 Tbsp butter, room temp
-1/4 cup heavy cream, room temp
-1/2 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan over medium heat “melt” the sugar. Once the sugar has liquefied wait until it has turned an amber color and take it off the heat. Once you’ve taken it off the heat add in the butter and whisk for about 30 seconds to a minute. Add in the heavy cream and whisk until it is smooth. If you’re having an issue with clumps you can briefly add it back onto the heat. Once the mixture is smooth add in the vanilla and set aside to cool.

Once the caramel has cooled, pour it over the chocolate chip cookie layer. Allow to completely cool before moving on to the next step.

Chocolate Ganache
-1/4 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
-1 Tbsp heavy cream

Mix together the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave in 15 second intervals until the mixture has melted. Once it is fully melted and mixed together pour over the cookie and caramel layers. Top with flaky sea salt.

Allow to fully cool before enjoying! You should be able to lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper to make it easier to cut. (Tip: pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting to make it easier to cut).