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. They’re quite a mouthful in the best possible way.
I have a real fondness for marshmallow-based bars and cereal bars. I’ve never met a Rice Krispies Treat variation that I didn’t 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. I’m 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 I’ve ever made.
I used the recipe I created for the Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and you don’t 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. It’s okay if it’s quite pale, light, and possibly a touch underdone in the center because the pan goes back into the oven for another 8 minutes. Don’t overbake now or they’ll be dry and overdone later.
Top the baked cookie layer with marshmallows and then with Werther’s Original® Caramel Popcorn.
Werther’s just launched this caramel corn and it’s buttery, caramely, light, airy, with just the right balance of salty-and-sweet. If I didn’t 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 don’t bake to the point they’re browning because you may scorch the caramel corn.
The marshmallows are the ‘glue’ that trap the caramel corn into their sticky web so that it becomes anchored and doesn’t 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 don’t want to slice into the bars until they’ve had a chance to properly set up or you’ll 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, you’re 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
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Topping
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 2 cups Werther’s Original® Caramel Popcorn
- ¼ 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 – 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 don’t 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; don’t 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. It’s okay if it’s 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; don’t overbake now.
- Topping – 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 don’t bake to the point they’re 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 they’ll 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 haven’t 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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Related Recipes
Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Peanut Chewy Payday Bars (almost no-bake)
Biscoff Marshmallow Chocolate Bars (no-bake)
Peanut Butter Cocoa Krispies Smores Bars (almost no-bake)
No-Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cereal Bars (GF)
Marshmallow Caramel Oreo Cookie S’Mores Bars
Smores made with Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Graham Crackers
Do you like caramel corn? Do you have a favorite recipe if you make it yourself?
Interestingly, even when I didn’t know I had an allergy to corn, I didn’t really dig caramel corn. I know, weird, huh! Seraphim and Simeon love it, however. Although, Seraphim has an allergy to corn so he can’t have it either, poor guy! If we could eat them, we would try them! That shot of you holding the marshmallow gooey stuff? Brilliant!
I bet that you could use rice cakes that you chop up the size of popped popcorn and then pour over homemade caramel sauce (same protocol that most online recipes for DIY caramel corn start out). I bet a hearty rice cake would hold up fine and if it’s that or nothing, if he really had a huge craving, it would probably be better than nothing.
Oh my goodness! Sounds delicious. You think of the best combinations!
Thanks Erin!
OMG!!! I want one right now! Have I told you lately that you’re my hero Averie?! Caramel popcorn and marshamallows …amaaaazing!
you’re so sweet, Liz!
OMG I’m sitting her at Panera wishing the clock would fast forward to theatre pick-up time and OMG I want one of these! GOOEY HEAVEN! :)
Panera…I havent been in one in so long. Used to inhale their cookies :)
Thanks for the pin!
Every creation you come up with amazes me. These look incredible! Thanks for being such an inspiration!
Too sweet – thanks, Rachel!
That gooey marshmallow one-handed shot is stunning Averie! You must have some superpower muscles to hold the camera steady AND perfectly vertical with one hand. So impressive! I can never keep caramel corn in the house; between me and my guy, we inhale those bags in a matter of minutes. But’s it’s so worth it!
caramel corn and marshmallow sounds yummy together!
Oh Lord, I was in love with this just by looking at the title. When I was growing up, my grandparents would buy these HUGE tins of caramel corn. I don’t know where to get them anymore, but they were the bomb. :) I absolutely love the third picture with the gooey marshmallow! And I cannot believe you put all that on top of cookie bars.
these HUGE tins of caramel corn. <-- omg you can get those anywhere! BB&Beyond, Costco, most groc stores around the holidays will have them...this is the time of year those big box retailers like Sams, Costco, etc have TONS of that stuff!
Gosh, where have I been!? Under a rock apparently.
My eyes are as big as saucers after seeing these incredible scrumptious treats, Averie! I bet they are mind blowing delicious – I want a dozen!
Seriously!!!!! I have been dying to try the werthers popcorn, it looks SOOO GOOD! I always take werthers with me when I fly! Chocolate chip cookie, marshmallow and caramel corn..girl you have outdone yourself! LOVEEEEE all the flavors and textures too!!
Those photos are incredible! I just want to reach in and grab one!
Wow these look incredible! I love Caramel Corn, and I normally get mine at Kernel’s in the mall. I didn’t know Werther’s started making it as well. Their candies are sooo good I can just imagine how awesome their caramel popcorn would be! And on top of a cookie bar with marshmallowy goodness.. mmmm *drool* … thanks for the great recipe! :)
These look amazing :)
Can I just say, yum! I love caramel corn. And on top of bars? Stop it. So good!
These look incredible! I love how ooey and gooey these are. And that marshmallow goo photo- I would have never guessed that it was shot without a tripod! (Really, all your photos lately have been incredible!)
I cannot handle tripods…way too constricting so I freehand shoot everything! Thanks for the compliments!
I absolutely love caramel corn, and in fact last night I had these toffee chocolate covered popcorn treats that were so, so good. I love the idea of throwing them onto chocolate chip cookie bars, I bet these guys are texture crazy!
Your toffee chocolate covered popcorn sounds super addictive! And yes there were texture-crazy..loved it!