Description
Better Than Anything Bars are a decadent treat featuring a buttery cookie base layered with a rich caramel peanut butter sauce and topped with gooey chocolate chips. Perfectly balanced in sweetness and texture, these bars are an irresistible dessert or snack that everyone will love.
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 14 ounces of caramel bits)
- 5 ounces canned evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9″x13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray to prepare it for the batter.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture is fluffy and well combined for a smooth base.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each until just blended, then mix in the vanilla extract just to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined to form the cookie dough.
- Stir in Chocolate Chips: Fold in the chocolate chips by hand or mix slightly with your mixer to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
- First Bake Layer: Press half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan evenly, then bake this layer for 10 minutes until lightly set.
- Prepare Caramel Sauce: While the first layer bakes, place caramels and evaporated milk in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on power level 5 for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and combined.
- Add Peanut Butter to Caramel: Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter thoroughly into the caramel sauce once melted and combined.
- Spread Caramel Layer: Remove the partially baked dough from the oven and spread the prepared caramel peanut butter mixture evenly over it.
- Add Remaining Dough: Drop teaspoons of the remaining cookie dough evenly over the caramel layer to create a topping.
- Final Bake: Bake the assembled bars for 20 minutes or until the top dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving to ensure the layers set perfectly.
Notes
- If you prefer a softer caramel layer, use caramel bits instead of wrapped caramels, as they melt more evenly.
- For a nut-free version, substitute peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or omit it entirely.
- Make sure to monitor the caramel while microwaving to prevent burning; stirring frequently is key.
- Using semi-sweet chocolate chips balances the sweetness of the caramel and cookie layers nicely.
- Ensure the pan is well sprayed to prevent sticking when removing the bars.
- Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
