Description
Better Than Anything Bars are a decadent treat featuring a buttery cookie base layered with a luscious caramel peanut butter sauce and topped with a golden bake of cookie dough and chocolate chips. Perfect as a dessert or indulgent snack, these bars combine rich flavors and textures in a simple, no-fuss recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
Bars:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Caramel Sauce:
- 14 ounces of caramels, unwrapped or caramel bits
- 5 ounces canned evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the vanilla extract and blend until just combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture; mix until fully incorporated.
- Stir in Chocolate Chips: Fold the chocolate chips into the dough gently by hand or with a mixer on low speed.
- First Bake of Dough: Spread half of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake for 10 minutes to set the base.
- Prepare Caramel Sauce: While the dough is baking, combine the unwrapped caramels and evaporated milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium power (level 5) for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and combined.
- Add Peanut Butter: Stir the peanut butter thoroughly into the warmed caramel sauce until smooth and well blended.
- Layer Caramel Sauce: Remove the partially baked base from the oven and immediately spread the caramel peanut butter sauce evenly over the warm dough layer.
- Top with Remaining Dough: Drop the remaining cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the caramel layer, distributing as evenly as possible.
- Final Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the top dough layer is golden brown and fully cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
- Use a spatula to spread the caramel sauce gently to avoid mixing it with the bottom dough layer.
- If you prefer a softer bar, reduce baking time slightly and keep an eye on the top layer browning.
- Peanut butter can be substituted with almond butter for a different flavor.
- For easier slicing, refrigerate the bars after cooling to firm up the caramel layer.
- Use semi-sweet chocolate chips if you want less sweetness compared to milk chocolate chips.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
