HELPFUL TIPS: First off, oh my gosh!! I'm not a caramel fan AT ALL, but tried this b/c of the 5* rating. So glad b/c this is out of this world! I love the idea of lining your 9X13 pan with foil. This allows you to just pull it out of the glass dish after it's cooked AND COOLED & cuts down on crumbling.
Makes slicing easier. ...just don't rush the cooling process in fridge or caramel will harden! This is a recipe where eyeballing is your best bet. You MUST double the flour, oats, sugar, baking soda & salt, but TOTALLY not necessary to double the chocolate chips & walnuts (sweet overload). I found 1C of butter to be perfect to make the crust stick together.
In fact, the second & third time I made this, I didn't bother using a small portion of the crust b/c if you put too much on top, it just falls right off (as excess crumbs). To solve this, when I put the top layer of crumbs on, I press gently into the caramel layer as if I'm making another crust.
Makes everything stick together nicely! Used an entire bag of Kraft caramels (14 oz) OR already unwrapped bag (11oz) & 7T of heavy cream was the perfect consistency and enough to cover a thin layer. Caramel takes a little while to melt, so be patient if it's your first time :) Oh, I've baked this for 25-30 min. depending on oven. Just take out once the top (crust) turns a nice golden brown. Update: I noticed someone said not to use 1min oats. It's ALL I use & everyone always LOVES THIS!
Get the recipe here >> Gooey Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars @ recipegirl.com
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