I’ve been on a roll with caramel recipes…caramel is one of my guilty pleasures. So when some friends shared this Nick Malgieri recipe, I knew I’d have to bake these tempting bars. Most of my caramel recipes involve the somewhat intimidating method of heating sugar to a very high temperature, then adding cream and praying it does not seize up into one giant blob. Instead you simply boil together butter, brown sugar, a bit of corn syrup and a can of sweetened condensed milk. It makes a sweet gooey filling for this simple, delectable treat. I added a bag of chocolate chips to appease the chocoholics in this household, but these would be equally as wonderful without that addition.
Chocolate Caramel Streusel Bars…adapted from Nick Malgieri
2 sticks (1 cup) butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
Filling:
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Line 9 x 13 pan with non-stick foil or regular foil (spray with non-stick spray). Buttered parchment will also work. Preheat oven to 350º.
Beat the 2 sticks of butter with the sugar till light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add vanilla, then slowing add in flour, scraping sides of bowl till dough is smooth and flour incorporated.
Put 3/4 of the dough into the prepared pan and pat firmly to form bottom crust. Set aside remaining dough and chill crust as you prepare the caramel.
Combine all filling ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Then allow the mixture to boil gently, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, till it starts to darken and thicken. Remove from heat, add vanilla and allow to cool about 10 minutes.
When caramel has cooled slightly, spread evenly over prepared crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, then reserved crumbs.
Bake for about 30 minutes, till filling is bubbly. Cool in pan, then remove using foil to cut. Store at room temperature up to a day. Wrap well and freeze any you will not eat within a day.
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{ 83 comments… read them below or add one }
they look nice and delicious!
they look like something dangerously delicious!
This is lovely!
Lizzy! I want to cook every single one of your recipes!
These look so gorgeous and I cannot resist caramel. Congrats on yet another Top 9 yesterday.
Excellent, excellent, Lizzy! Again you make a magnificent dessert! I like!
I’m a fan of desserts you made:)
Ridwan
Lizzy – with all the drooling I have been having over all your desserts and bars, there’s no more words and its no point using the same boring words again and again.
So here’s what I have to coment Wow, Wow, wow and more wow, wow, wow, that crust on top is killing me.
these sound and looks so yummy.
would be perfect for Christmas too.
These would be eaten in one day at my house. Chocolate & caramel, a favorite combination around here-
Very nice composition I really hope your doing a baking cookbook in the works, every bar and pastry always are prize worthy!
It’s like a Milky Way in bar form. I love it. I wonder if there’s a way to get around the chocolate though.
Oooh, love the streusel on the top. Yum!
Those would go perfectly well with my breakfast!
Oh Liz, why do you tempt me day after day! The caramel filling…oh deliciousness!
Another amazing dessert! Love that the caramel recipe is much less intimidating…that whole cream bubbling thing is always scary!!!
I love these bars, although I’ve never seen them with chocolate chips. These are one of the most popular bars I make.
Another excellent recipe from you , I will def make this one , good one Lizzy
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Making my own caramel scares me – it hisses at me. So will happily try this because maybe it won’t talk back. And – caramel and I are in love. Wonderful bars!
Oh My! I’ll definitely need a napkin with these as I’m sure all that gooey caramel & chocolate goodies will be dripping down my chin! They look gorgeous.
Caramel is something that I really have to be in the mood for. I know what’s wrong with me? My hubby on the other hand loves it and he would also love these.
Lizzy your bars are always awesome!! delicious! gloria
I will eat anything with streusel. These sound decadent and wonderful!
These look so delicious – I can never resist anything with caramel! I know I’d find these very moreish.
I saved this recipe. It sounds and looks delicious. Thanks for sharing.
They look very nice!
Oh, Lizzy-I wish I could have a few of those yummy and delicious streusel caramel bars to take with me on the plane to San Francisco early tomorrow AM.
Love all your sweet treats, I should get myself more motivated to bake more!
xoxo
They look delicious and very tempting..
Oh these would be my guilty pleasure too! DELISH!
Liz these bar sound absolutely amazing and they look delicious!
Liz… another winner! That a great combo of flavors!
I like how these turned out the streusel dipping down with the chocolate yum. These would be dangerous to keep at my house
I like how chocolate chip looks from the side of the bars. Your sweets always look so perfect – how do you do that? I assume years of baking experience. Unlike cooking, baking can’t be fixed in the middle of making and that seems a little intimidating to me… I enjoy “looking” at these!
God Liz I need to know how on earth you know so many delicious sweet beauties….
I drool and then I crave and then I drool… This is what happens when I come here. And I love luscious madness…
These bars are sinful my dear.
These are absolute heaven!
This looks delicious, great combo of flavors!
I hate it when you post caramel things that I feel compelled to make.
Looks great!
I am a caramel fanatic and this looks delicious! Chocolate and Caramel? You are a girl after my own heart:-)
http://foodfashionandflow.blogspot.com/
mmmm,caramel….
Wow, another masterpiece from you:) I don’t see too many recipes incorporating condensed milk, its such as wonderful ingredient
UM U KNOW WHO WILL BE MAKING THESE ASAP!!!!
HAHAA JUST SAW IT’S NICKS-WHICH I HAVE ALREADY MADE BUT I GUESS U ADDED THE CHIPS? MMMM!
These chocolate caramel bars look absolutely delicious!
Ooh – these look amazing!
Oh my! Being German, I love Streuselkuchen (in fact I’m making an apple one this weekend!), but being me, I love caramel. Should I ever bake this dish, I will snarf it up in one day and gain a ton of pounds!
I love caramel! These are another winner!
Oh – this is fantastic! I love peanut butter and chocolate and I love caramel and chocolate!
Who am I kidding?! I love peanut butter and caramel, too!
This one is a winner, Liz….as usual!
WOW! I cannot wait to try these! They look sinfully delicious. Thanks for yet another great recipe!
I have a problem w/caramel…I can’t resist it and I wouldn’t be able to resist these bars. delicious, Lizzy:)
You’re a woman after my own heart! Caramel is one of the best things EVER! I bet these are amazing!
Yum! Caramel is one of my favorite sweet treats too. This looks fantastic (and a little simpler too…double win!)
caramel sounds good delicious looking streusel bars to snack
I too have a thing for caramel… and paired with chocolate… mmmm this is irresistible for a chocoholic like me… SIGH!
That is the PERFECT treat to bring to a holida get-together!
Very very sweet….too full of sweetness :p
Liz, these look irresistible! So pretty and I’m sure so scrumptious!
Going to have to pass on this one. I don’t like caramel that much.
Chocolate, caramel and gooey – I could eat all of these!
“Wrap well and freeze any you will not eat within a day.”. Not a chance!!! These will be gone in a couple of hours.
These bars are magnificent with the gooey caramel, chocolate and streusel. Pure genius! I’m loving all of your wonderful desserts lately.
Have a great weekend!
There’s something about fall that just screams caramelly (sp?) desserts!
Making caramel has never really bothered me, but sometimes I’m lazy and do love a good cheat!
Wow, Lizzy, these look intense!
These could hit that spot after lunch for for a snack:)) Buzz ya Liz and have a wonderful Friday!
–Damn You!
I suppose I must make this now… and my ass is getting LARGER! X
Just lovely. I can imagine how great these must be. I just love the combination.
Three words – Come to Mama. OK..more than three – those look amazing – anything with caramel and my willpower goes to pot
I love caramel so much that I might eliminate the chocolate chips just so they didn’t interfere with the caramel-y goodness.
Dear Lizzy, These look terrific. I like the addition of the chocolate chips. Blessings, Catherine xo
This looks so good. It’s a winner.
Just a bite, one bite of these and I would be a happy girl this morning.
I am so behind on reading your blog, Lizzy. Catching up! I LOVE the pattern it made when you cut your slices!
Everything is definitely better with caramel! A wonderful fall treat.
I must admit that caramel is my guilty pleasure, too
I love it in any form (thick, gooey, cold, hot etc.) and your bars look just like the perfect caramel treat!
I have a weakness for caramel, and these bars would make me happy indeed!
These look absolutely heavenly. Is it bad that I want to eat them for breakfast???
Lizzy, had to laugh at “freeze any you will not eat within a day.” Like that could happen with these bars.
You know how to appeal to my sweet tooth! These look so good, my friend! I wish I could be making these this afternoon instead of going grocery shopping! Thanks for sharing. I hope you are having a wonderful day!
wow these chocolate caramel bars just sound heavenly!!!
thanks for the recipe post 
.
I do have a question…how do you stay skinny when all of this deliciousness is around? You must have some incredible will power!!
Rachel, when I have so many goodies around, I find them easy to ignore. But when I do succumb, I make sure I keep up with my exercise routine
These look so delicious and I love the simplified caramel process…it can be a touchy baby
These may be perfect for THE party
I’m going to do a trial run but my guess is folks will inhale them!
Ohh chocolate and caramel are my faves! These sound amazing!