Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These delicious bars start out with a oatmeal buttery chocolate chip and peanut butter cookie dough crust with a gooey, caramel center that with every bite you get the amazing taste of caramel, chocolate, peanut butter and oats. This is a perfect bar recipe to make, I am going to Lake George soon and I am making some bar recipes that will be perfect for snacking during the day and at night and this one is perfect and everyone will love it..Glad I found this recipe, a winner in my house!!!






Ingredients:

Caramel Filling
• 11 ounce bag vanilla or regular caramels
• 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 Tablespoons butter
Cookie Dough
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• dash of salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside 
3. Unwrap caramels and place in a small saucepan with butter and sweetened condensed milk.
4. Cook over low-medium heat, whisking constantly until caramels have fully melted and the mixture is nice and smooth
5. Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and continue mixing.
6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add in vanilla.
7. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. 
8. Add the flour mixture beating on low until well combined.
9. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the pan.
11. Slowly pour caramel mixture evenly over the dough.
12. Drop the remaining dough on top by the teaspoon. It does not have to be perfect but make sure you try to cover entire top evenly.
13. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely and then cut into bars.

recipe slightly adapted and photo from: http://www.momontimeout.com/2013/08/chocolate-chip-caramel-cookie-bars/