Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
   
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
   
• ½ cup granulated sugar
   
• 2 large eggs
   
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
   
• 1 tsp baking soda
   
• 2½ cups all purpose flour
   
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
   
• 10 oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
   
• 8 oz soft caramels, unwrapped
  • If substituting caramel sauce, reduce condensed milk to 8 oz
     
• 2 tsp flaked sea salt (1 tsp for the cookie mixture, 1 tsp for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
    
2. Line a 9 x 13" baking dish and grease heavily (use 9 x 9" dish if you're cutting the recipe in half).
    
3. In an electric mixer bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat longer than you think it necessary (about 5-7 min).
    
4. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Mix well, then scape the ides of the dowl with a spatula, and mix again to blend the extra from the sides.
    
5. Turn the speed to low and add the flour. Combined, then mix the chocolate chips.
    
6. Press half the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Be patient, as it takes a while to spread across the dish evenly.
    
7. In a medium sauce pan, add the sweetened condensed milk and caramels. Set over medium-lw heat and stir until the caramels melt, making a smooth caramel filling. Pour the filling over the cookie dough base.
    
8. Drop the remainign cookie dough over the caramel filling in small, tablespoon-sized clumps. Bake the bars for 30-35 min, until the center is just set.
    
9. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle evenly with sea salt flakes. Allow the cars to cool completely.
    
10. Remove the bars out of the pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 7 (not that they've EVER lasted that long here).