Salted Caramel Browned Butter Bars

I made these bars Sunday afternoon for a youth rally.  They were sooooo good! Unfortunately, I went to get them after the youth rally was over and they were all gone. Well....maybe that's a good thing! I didn't need them, anyway!

The original recipe is for muffins, stuffing each muffin with two caramels, but I didn't have time to do that and needed a bigger amount of servings.  The addition of the whipping cream, plus making them into bars turned out great!  If you want to see the original recipe, HERE is the link.

SALTED CARAMEL BROWNED BUTTER BARS

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
20 caramels candies, unwrapped
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
kosher salt, for sprinkling 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until butter turns a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour the butter into a mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar until well combined. Stir in the egg and vanilla and mix well. Mix in the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt until well combined.  Pat down half of dough into a jelly roll pan (10.5 x15.5 x 1 or 1/2 sheet pan size)

Melt the caramels with the whipping cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often.  Pour the melted caramel over the bottom cookie dough.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over caramel layer, then sprinkle kosher salt.  I used a teaspoon or less, but you may like more!

Pinch off small pieces (about a teaspoon size) and sprinkle over the caramel and chocolate.  Pat down some.  It may cover most of the chocolate and caramel, but don't worry if it doesn't.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough into 10 muffin wells each. Flatten with your fingers to cover the bottom of the muffin tin. Place two caramel candies on top of the cookie dough. Sprinkle with a a bit of kosher salt. Top each with another tablespoon of cookie dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, or until beginning to brown slightly.

Let cool then cut into bars.  (Or eat while warm with a spoon!)