I can inhale caramel corn by the handful. And the more I eat, the more I want.
Rather than just inhale it as fast as I can chew, I baked it into layered bars that are bursting with texture.
That at least slows down the rate of inhalation because the caramel corn is perched on top of squishy, gooey marshmallows, which are on top of dense, rich chocolate chip cookie bars. Theyโre quite a mouthful in the best possible way.
I have a real fondness for marshmallow-based bars and cereal bars. Iโve never met a Rice Krispies Treat variation that I didnโt love. The same can be said for pans of bars. Love them for their quick and easy prep.
These bars are a hybrid using some of my favorite elements. Rather than using cereal, I caramel corn. A nice trade-up.
And get a load of all that gooey marshmallow. Iโm pretty proud of this one-handed shot. My camera and lens weigh a good 8 or 9 pounds, no joke. But marshmallow gooey shots are worth it.
The bars are fast and easy to make, and the dough for the chocolate chip cookie layer is the easiest chocolate chip cookie dough Iโve ever made.
I used the recipe I created for the Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and you donโt need a mixer. Chocolate chip cookie dough without dragging out a mixer is a major feat in my kitchen.
After stirring together the dough and pressing it into a pan, bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or just until the top is set. Itโs okay if itโs quite pale, light, and possibly a touch underdone in the center because the pan goes back into the oven for another 8 minutes. Donโt overbake now or theyโll be dry and overdone later.
Top the baked cookie layer with marshmallows and then with Wertherโs Originalยฎ Caramel Popcorn.
Wertherโs just launched this caramel corn and itโs buttery, caramely, light, airy, with just the right balance of salty-and-sweet. If I didnโt bake most of an 8-ounce bag into the bars, I would have inhaled said 8-ounce bag in no time. Really good caramel corn.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes or so, just long enough so the marshmallows have puffed slightly and have softened, but donโt bake to the point theyโre browning because you may scorch the caramel corn.
The marshmallows are the โglueโ that trap the caramel corn into their sticky web so that it becomes anchored and doesnโt just fall off.
After pulling the pan from the oven, drizzle with melted chocolate, and then set it aside to cool for at least a couple hours. You donโt want to slice into the bars until theyโve had a chance to properly set up or youโll have a literal hot mess on your hands.
If you love a lot of diverse textures and flavors going on in your bars like I do, youโre going to love these.
The chocolate chip cookie layer is soft and tender, with just slight chewiness near the edges. The chocolate chips add nice bursts of chocolate flavor, without overpowering the buttery, flavorful dough that complements the buttery caramel corn.
The marshmallows are like soft little pillows, and make the perfect squishy, tacky perch for the caramel corn. I love bars with surprise layers of marshmallows, and this layer reminds me of the Peanut Chewy Payday Bars and Peanut Butter Cocoa Krispies Smores Bars.
The caramel corn stays crunchy, crispy, and makes a wonderful contrast to the fluffy marshmallows and soft cookie base.
Something for everyone. Chocolate chip cookies. Marshmallows. Caramel corn. Melted chocolate.
All in one very easy bar.
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Caramel Corn Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- ยฝ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- ยพ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ยผ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ยพ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons cornstarch
- ยพ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Topping
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 2 cups Wertherโs Originalยฎ Caramel Popcorn
- ยผ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- Cookie Base โ To a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the butter and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power. Allow the butter to cool momentarily so you donโt scramble the egg.
- Add the egg, sugars, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and stir until just combined; donโt overmix
- Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
- Turn dough out into prepared pan, pushing it into the corners and smoothing it with a spatula or pressing into place with your fingers to form an even, flat layer.
- Evenly sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the top, pressing them very lightly into the dough with your fingers.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until top has set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Itโs okay if itโs quite pale, light, and possibly a touch underdone in the center because the pan goes back into the oven for another 8 minutes or so; donโt overbake now.
- Topping โ Evenly sprinkle marshmallows over the cookie layer.
- Evenly sprinkle the caramel corn over the marshmallows.
- Return pan to oven and bake for about 7 to 9 minutes, or until marshmallows have puffed slightly and have softened, but donโt bake to the point theyโre browning because you may scorch the caramel corn.
- After removing pan from oven, using a hot mitt or being extra careful and using your palm, gently press the caramel corn down into the softened marshmallows to encourage it to become anchored and stick; set pan aside.
- In a small microwave-safe mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and heat to melt, about 1 minute on high power. Stop to stir. Heat in 15-second bursts until chips can be stirred smooth. 15 seconds is likely all theyโll need.
- Using a spoon, evenly drizzle melted chocolate over the bars. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before slicing and serving; do not slice into bars that havenโt cooled and set up because they will be exceedingly messy. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Cookie base adapted from Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Smores made with Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Graham Crackers
Do you like caramel corn? Do you have a favorite recipe if you make it yourself?
The crunchy cookie base with explosions of chunky chocolate chips to add to a simply heavenly topping of gooey marshmallows and double crispy popcorn coated with creamy caramel is a promising combo of tempting indulgence ideal for a sweet fanatic!Blissโฆkeep posting stuff like this Averie!
Thanks for the great comment and compliments! I appreciate it and sometimes making some really unique desserts is just so much fun!
*DROOL* Is there a more glorious combination of sweets?! I love this!
Youโre the best, Brandy! Thank you!
Iโm quite sure that Iโve never seen a mountain of anything more lovely than these bars โ spectacular! So creative Averie! Pinned too, of course :)
Thanks for pinning, Trish!
Three little wonders right on top of each other!!
These look INSANELY good!
Melted marshmallows make the best/stickiest glue! Not very fun to wipe off the counter, but so tasty! These bars look amazingโฆwhatโs not to love? :D
Love the idea of using caramel corn on bars like this! they look amazing!
Iโm totally dying over how much goodness is packed inside of these!!
Averie you are amazing, how do you come up with all these ideas? These look beyond delicious, if I cooked everything of yours I liked the look of Iโd be the size of a house!
A piece or two and off it goes to another home, trust me, moderation is key!
Iโm typing this comment right now with sticky fingers. Because Iโm eating Wertherโs caramel corn as I type.
Caramel corn is my favorite kind of popcorn. Donโt get me wrong, I love a giant bowl of the buttery stuff (oh, and kettle corn too) but caramel corn steals my heart every time. My grandmother made it from scratch and I use her recipe often!! But the Wertherโs brand caramel corn is so good!! Anyway, I love these dessert bars so much. One of my favorites from you.
That one-handed shot. Dear lord girl. You are talented! I need my tripod for that!
Girl I had to hold my breath and focus every yoga bone in my body to get that one-handed shot. As you know, with our camera body and the 24-70, itโs a beast. And so awkward, too. And then I had this weird translucent light coming thru. Yeah. FUN! But I actually love that pic :) Thanks for noticing!
And yes buttery popcorn is nice but letโs face it, caramel corn will always win! And homemade, the best :) With your nanaโs recipe no less! nice!
Thanks for saying you love this dessertโฆit hasnโt really popped so far. We shall see.
Caramel corn and marshmallow!? LOVE the idea of thisโa twist on rice crispy bars with chocolate chip dough thrown in!
I love everything about these bars. Iโve never tried baking with caramel corn, but I think I just got inspired!!
Ive been to your site recently Anna! You have some yummy food! :)
These look like Heaven in bar form! I need!
WHAT THE WHAT?! Weโve got caramel corn, marshmallow, and cookie bars all in like one yummy package??!!! I cannot get overrrr it!