Caramel Chocolate Bars

freshly baked caramel bar topped with chocolate chips and flaky sea salt - 2

These caramel chocolate bars may bring back wonderful childhood memories of biting into your favorite Girl Scout Samoas Cookie, (although I did not set out to do a copy-cat recipe).

After making these salted caramel chocolate chip cookies I’ve been on a salted caramel kick. And I have to say…it’s not a bad kick to be on! ?

The surprise for me with these bars is that friends and family who are not coconut lovers, are enjoying these Caramel Chocolate Bar as much as coconut lovers do. My husband swears he isn’t a coconut fan, but I saw him eat 2 of these bars within minutes. ?

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When you take your first bite your taste buds will initially explode with the buttery crispness of the brown sugar crust. Then, piled on top of that you’ll enjoy the chewy goodness of coconut & oats. Lastly, creamy swirls of salted vanilla caramel wrapped around milk chocolate chips ooze through each layer and top this delightfully decadent bar in all of the best ways.

One bite and you will find yourself thinking about all the times throughout the day you can enjoy one; with a cold glass of milk, a steamy cappuccino, or with an after dinner glass of wine (my personal favorite option!)

And if you’re not yet convinced, you’ll love these caramel chocolate bars because…

They are quick and easy to make
You probably have most of the ingredients on hand already
Easily make them gluten free, if needed.
The flaky sea salt on top adds the perfect finishing touch because salted caramel is life.
They’re simply amazing and you literally won’t want to share!

Looking for more easy bar recipes to try? How about these Banana Chocolate Chip Bars or Oatmeal Breakfast Bars ? Or maybe these Cranberry Bliss Bars or Apple Pie Bars are more your style.

Ingredient Notes

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

ingredients to make caramel bars in small white bowls - 4

All-Purpose Flour- All-Purpose Flour is the most commonly used flour. For these bars it adds to the crispy-chewiness of the rich Caramel Chocolate Bars.
Brown Sugar- I prefer using light brown sugar for this recipe, but you can substitute dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will give the cookies a richer taste, slightly change the color of the crust, and possibly the texture.
Butter- By grating the frozen butter, the fluffy pieces mix quickly and evenly into the flour.
Condensed Milk- Sweetened condensed milk adds to the creaminess and depth of caramel flavor.
Quick Oats- Quick oats are preferred since they cook faster than Old Fashioned Oats.
Coconut- shredded coconut boosts the chewy bite of these Caramel Chocolate Bars. You can find the shredded coconut in the baking isle in the grocery store.
Vanilla Caramel- A hint of vanilla flavor adds to the deliciousness of these bars. You can use regular soft caramels if preferred.
Chocolate Chips- The milk chocolate chips compliment the sweetness of the caramel. Use your favorite chocolate (semi-sweet, dark, etc.)
Other Ingredients Needed- vanilla extract and milk

an up close image of caramel and milk chocolate chips - 5

Step by Step Directions

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.

Mix together brown sugar and flour. Grate the frozen butter and mix it in. Press into a 9×13 pan and bake @ 350°F for 15 min.
Combine the oats and coconut and pour over the partially baked crust.
Combine condensed milk and vanilla and pour over oats and coconut.
Bake 25 min. cool 10 min.
Melt caramels in milk in saucepan. Cook until melted then pour over the oat and coconut layer.
Top with chocolate chips and flaky sea salt.
Cool completely and then cut into bars.

grated butter on a small wooden cutting board with a box grater and brown sugar in a mixing bowl - 6

Tips and Variations

After cooling the bars, cut them into squares or diamonds. Simply run a sharp knife under hot water before slicing, then clean the knife between cutting the next slice.
If you aren’t a coconut fan, you can substitute finely chopped nuts for the coconut. They will add the texture you are looking for along with some added flavor.
Light Brown and Dark Brown sugars can be used interchangeably, but you will see some differences with the dark brown sugar. The color of the bars may be darker, the flavor a bit more robust, and the texture may be different.
Freeze the butter before grating. Grating is a great way to evenly distribute the butter in the flour and brown sugar mix.
If you can not find vanilla caramels, use regular soft or chewy caramels.

freshly baked caramel bars topped with chocolate chips and flaky sea salt - 7

a stack of caramel chocolate bars topped with flaky sea salt on parchment paper - 8

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