Better Than Anything Bars Recipe
Better Than Anything Bars are decadent, gooey dessert bars featuring a buttery cookie base layered with rich caramel sauce and melty chocolate chips. These American-style bars combine a soft, chewy texture with a luscious peanut butter caramel topping, making them an irresistible treat perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 bars 1x
- Category: Bars/Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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 caramels, unwrapped (or 14 ounces caramel bits)
- 5 ounces canned evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make Dough: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each until just blended, then stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt, then gradually mix them into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips gently, either by hand or using a mixer at low speed.
- First Bake of Dough: Press half of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake this layer for 8-10 minutes, until it is just set but not fully browned.
- Prepare Caramel Sauce: While the base is baking, place the unwrapped caramels and 5 ounces of evaporated milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium power (level 5) for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the caramels are thoroughly melted and combined with the milk.
- Add Peanut Butter: Stir the peanut butter into the warm caramel mixture until smooth and completely combined.
- Assemble Layers: Spread the caramel peanut butter sauce evenly over the partially baked cookie dough in the pan. Then, drop the remaining cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the caramel layer, distributing it evenly but not covering completely.
- Final Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 17-20 minutes, or until the top dough is golden brown and the bars are fully cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan before slicing into 20 squares to serve.
Notes
- Use quality chocolate chips for the best flavor; milk or semi-sweet both work well.
- If the caramel hasn’t completely melted in the microwave, continue heating in 15-second increments, stirring in between.
- Ensure the bars cool fully before cutting to keep layers intact and make slicing easier.
- You can substitute peanut butter with almond butter for a different taste and texture.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Keywords: Better Than Anything Bars, caramel bars, chocolate chip bars, peanut butter caramel bars, gooey bars, American desserts, chewy bars recipe
