There’s More Than One Way to Celebrate the Day

Today we have double reason to celebrate in our house. Yeah, it’s National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. It’s also Hubby’s birthday. Happy Birthday to my best friend!

Most of us have heard the story about how Chocolate Chip Cookies came to be. In a nutshell (or in this case a chocolate chip shell), it seems Ruth Graves Wakefield was baking her chocolate cookies one day in 1937. She ran out of baker’s chocolate and decided to use some chunks of semi-sweet chocolate instead. Ruth assumed that the bits of chocolate would melt into the dough and work much like her baker’s chocolate did. The result was a chocolate chip cookie. And not just any chocolate chip cookie, Ruth Graves Wakefield owned an inn – the Toll House Inn.

Since then, there have been spins and alterations to the famous Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie – everything from cakes to ice creams – the sky’s the limit. These Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares are no exception – keeping in the spirit of the day, with a chewy, salty spin on things. Enjoy!

Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares
12 tablespoons unsalted Butter
2-1/8 cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
1 Whole Egg
1 Egg Yolk
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 cups Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Caramel Sauce
Sea Salt finish

Gently melt unsalted butter. Let cool to room temperature.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9-inch by 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat together melted butter and both sugars with electric mixer until combined. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture. Beat until smooth. Slowly add flour mixture, mixing on low. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Press half of the cookie dough into prepared pan.

Heat caramel sauce in microwave for 30 seconds, pour caramel over the cookie dough. Spread out evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Drop remaining cookie dough over the caramel, then gently press down to seal the caramel in dough. Sprinkle with additional sea salt.

Bake cookie bars in the heated oven for 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown and the edges begin to pull away from the edge. Due to the caramel center, it may still seem jiggly.

Leave in the pan to cool completely. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!