Grease your 9x13 pan and preheat the oven to 375°F. It’s important to get everything ready before starting.

Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. Then, beat together softened butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in another bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, all while mixing. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients and stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread half the cookie dough in the prepared pan. Pop it in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, just until it sets. This will be the base of your bars!

Melt the caramels and evaporated milk using a double boiler. Stir constantly until smooth, then add peanut butter and mix thoroughly. The result is a rich, creamy caramel sauce you’ll pour over the baked base.

Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough over the caramel layer. It doesn’t need to cover it all; the caramel peeking through makes it even more enticing.

Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top layer is nicely golden. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely before slicing. This step is crucial to avoid messy cutting!