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Looking for the ultimate dessert that combines the warm, comforting flavors of snickerdoodle cookies with the rich, gooey goodness of caramel? These Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars are exactly what you need. With a soft and chewy cinnamon-sugar crust, a decadent caramel center, and a touch of cinnamon-sugar on top, these bars are a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.
The cookie dough is simple to make, and the caramel filling takes it to the next level, creating a dessert that’s sure to be a hit at any gathering. Whether you’re baking for your family or making a treat to share, these caramel snickerdoodle bars are everything you’ve been looking for.
Why You’ll Love these Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars
What’s not to love about these bars? The combination of a chewy, cinnamon-sugar snickerdoodle crust with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth caramel center is irresistible. It’s a simple yet satisfying treat that’s perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
These bars are easy to make, and they’re an impressive dessert that will have everyone asking for the recipe. Whether you’re a caramel fan or a snickerdoodle cookie lover, these bars combine the best of both worlds. Plus, they’re easy to customize and can be stored for days, making them a great make-ahead option for any occasion.
If you love cinnamon-spiced cookies give these a try: Snickerdoodle Waffle Cookies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Cinnamon Roll Cookies, and Cinnamon Butterscotch Cookies.
Ingredients Needed for Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars
This snickerdoodle bars recipe uses my recipe for Perfect Snickerdoodles and warm soft caramel. Here’s what you need to make this easy cookie bar recipe. Be sure to check out the variations list too!
- Butter + Butter Flavored Shortening – the trick to a good snickerdoodle is to have to be puffy but not too puffy. You can use all butter if preferred.
- Granulated Sugar – to sweeten the cookies.
- Eggs – for structure.
- Vanilla Extract- for flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – to fill out the cookies and make the dough.
- Cream of Tartar – this is a common ingredient found in almost all snickerdoodle recipes. It gives the cookie its signature slightly tangy taste.
- Baking Soda – our leavening agent.
- Salt – to balance out the sweet.
- Cinnamon + Sugar – these two are mixed together to create the perfect cinnamon sugar blend.
- Kraft Caramels + Heavy Cream – I’m talking about the cube-shaped caramels that can be found at your local grocery store. The heavy cream makes the caramel pourable and soft. If you’re using a homemade caramel sauce, omit the Kraft caramels and heavy cream. See my homemade caramel sauce recipe.
Variations for Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars
- Use brown sugar: For a deeper, molasses-like flavor, swap out the granulated sugar for brown sugar in the cookie dough.
- Add chocolate chips: Want to make these even more indulgent? Add a handful of chocolate chips to the dough to create snickerdoodle caramelita cookie bars.
- Use homemade caramel sauce: If you’re feeling ambitious, swap the Kraft caramels for your own homemade caramel sauce for a richer flavor.
- Go gluten-free: Substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend to make these bars gluten-free.
- Top with sea salt: For an added salty-sweet combination, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before baking.
- No Caramel – if you’re looking for an even easier recipe just leave out the caramel element! What you’re left with is basically snickerdoodles!
How to Make Snickerdoodle Bars
For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here are my step by step directions for making these chewy Snickerdoodle Bars:
1. Preheat Oven + Prep Baking Dish
Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray 9×13 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar. Pour half the cinnamon-sugar mixture into the baking dish and spread around to coat the bottom.
2. Make Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter, shortening, and sugar with an electric mixer or paddle attachment in a stand mixer. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract.
Whisk flour and other remaining dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Scrape edges and mix again briefly.
3. Press Dough into the Pan
Take 2/3 of the cookie dough and press into the bottom of the pan in an even layer and up the sides about 1 inch. Sprinkle the top of the cookie dough with 1 tablespoon of the remaining cinnamon sugar.
4. Melt + Pour Caramel
In a medium-size bowl, add caramels and heavy whipping cream. Microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring in between each until completely melted and smooth.
Pour caramel over cookie dough and spread to smooth.
5. Top with Cookie Dough + Cinnamon Sugar
Take small pieces of remaining cookie dough, flatten slightly in between your hands and place over top the caramel until no more cookie dough remains. Sprinkle the cookie dough on top of the caramel with the last of the cinnamon and sugar.
6. Bake + Cool
Bake snickerdoodle bars in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
Once baked, everything will be puffed and a little bit larger than before. All totally normal! Let the snickerdoodle bars simmer down and cool, then cut into bars!
Pro Tip: At room temperature, the caramel and cookie bars will be soft and barely runny. Warm bars fresh out of the oven means hot caramel lava. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, buuuuut don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Storage + Make Ahead Directions
Store these bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you have a lot of leftovers, you can refrigerate them to keep them fresh longer.
To Make Ahead: These bars can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to a week. The flavors will even intensify after a day or two.
To Freeze: These bars freeze really well! Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let them thaw at room temperature.
More Cookie Bar Recipes to Try!
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Carmelitas
- Double Chocolate Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
- S’mores Bars
- Magic Bars
- See 20+ Easy Cookie Bar Recipes
With their soft, chewy texture and gooey caramel center, these Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars are the perfect sweet treat. Whether you’re looking for a new dessert to try or need something that’ll impress at your next gathering, these bars are sure to hit the spot. The printable recipe is below. Have a great day, friends!!
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Caramel Snickerdoodle Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening or more butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs or 2 Tbsp flax seeds + 6 Tbsp water*
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
caramel filling
- 13 oz kraft caramels unwrapped, or homemade caramel suace
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray 9×13 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir sugar and cinnamon together.
- Pour half the cinnamon-sugar mixture into the baking dish and spread around to coat the bottom.
- In a large bowl, using an electric stand mixer, cream butter, shortening, and sugar.
- Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Add in all dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Scrape edges and mix again briefly.
- Take 2/3 of the cookie dough and press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides about 1 inch.
- Sprinkle the top of the cookie dough with 1 tablespoon of the remaining cinnamon sugar.
- In a medium-size bowl, add caramels and heavy cream*. Microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring in between each until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour caramel over cookie dough and spread to smooth.
- Take small pieces of remaining cookie dough, flatten slightly in between your hands and place over top the caramel until no more cookie dough remains.
- Sprinkle the cookie dough on top of the caramel with the last of the cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool completely before cutting into bars.
I was bored with chocolate chip cookie bars so I searched and found these — and let me say –These are EXCELLENT !!!!!
Hi…we have egg allergy, is there anything else we can use?
Do I have to use butter flavor shortening or can I just use all butter?
you can use all butter
That was my first question too!!
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These look delicious! I’m going to make them for my daughter who looooves caramel!
[…] other day an old friend of mine reached out to me and just sent me this link for these Snickerdoodle Caramel Bars from Lauren’s Latest. It’s okay. You just take a minute to go over there and soak […]
Lauren, I’ve made these bars so many times I’ve lost count and I always get asked for the recipe! They turn out perfectly each time and that gooey caramel layer… wow! I didn’t think snickerdoodles could get any better, but you’ve proved me wrong.
I’ve made these bars several times with lots of rave reviews! Everyone loves them! Rightfully so since they’re delicious!
SImple to make and everyone loved them! Heated them in the micro and topped with vanilla ice cream. So good. Stored them in a ziplock and they were even better the next day. Caramel stays soft!
These are easy to make and extremely delicious. I get rave reviews and recipe requests each time I make them. Thank you!
Wondering if I can use my own homemade caramel sauce instead of the pre-packaged ones that you get at the store?
I did my first Whole30 in August (documented it all on my blog) and, I’m not gonna lie, it.was.HARD. My husband (jokingly) says, “You lose weight because you lose your will to live.” 🙂 Ok, it’s not THAT bad but it is definitely difficult. BUT I’m already thinking about doing it again – gah! I’ve never felt better (after the first 15 days), had so much energy and actually had the urge to exercise. First I need to make these cookies though! Priorities 🙂
What to do with all that Halloween candy? My mom used to let us have some and at night she would glean stuff to put in our Christmas stockings! Way to go Mom, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle back in the 50’s!
Oh my goodness – these look ridiculously delicious! Two of my favorite things – good caramel and snickerdoodles. Definitely pinning and going on my list of stuff to make soon!
These look amazing! LOVE LOVE LOVE Josh Groban. Saw him in concert last year. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!
This looks absolutely scrumptious! Caramel is ma fav.
I am on board! These sound amazing….
You’re up to your best! Marvelous story too.
HOLY YUM! Get in my belly ASAP!
Oh heavenly snicker doodle+caramel. Come to grandma!! I could bake dozens of batches and never eat anything else! Lauren, you’ve nailed a perfect combo! Even my 6’1″, 172lb marathon son couldn’t stop eating these!! “Mom, do NOT bring a full plate of these again”. That’s ok son, more for me!!
I love Caramel . Thank you for guide.
Oh man. As a fellow preggo, I appreciate this recipe. Also, the dreams I have had this pregnancy have been the weirdest ever!!! I also have predicted two pregnancies through dreams!!! Insane.