Dulce De Leche steals the show in these decadent chewy cookie squares. Corey and I love to devour all things melt-in-your-mouth good, but then again who doesn't? This dessert takes the cookie! There's a soft cookie layer on the bottom topped off with spread of dulce de leche, sprinkled with melted chocolate chips and chopped walnuts making it hard not to stop at just one.
The first time I baked these bad boys for a crowd was at a friend's dinner party. We prepared a feast since we were feeding five big guys who could put it down, so I thought maybe they'd be too full for dessert. They were, but insisted on taking one bite out of the cookie squares. Within 5 minutes, all 24 dulce de leche squares were polished off. Despite already being stuffed to the brim, these Dulce De Leche cookies demanded the attention of the entire party and gave the boys an offer they couldn't refuse. Be indispensable, unique enough to offer up something you can't pass up on. Make an impression whether it's in front of your new boyfriend's parents or on a job interview, leave them wanting more. Make them an offer they can't refuse, be a Dulce de Leche cookie in a world of chocolate chip cookies, different with just a little bit more to offer. Once the boys devoured the plate of cookie squares, I knew I'd bake this recipe over and over, and now you can too!
Let's get baking. Here are all the ingredients all laid out pretty for you, they're on their best behavior sitting all artsy.
Make sure to preheat the oven to 350'F degrees. Line a 9 x13 metal pan with aluminum foil, leaving a two inch overhang on two of the four sides of the pan. Then lightly spray the pan with cooking oil. This will prevent sticking and allow you to pull the cookie sheet out much easier once it is baked.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt over medium heat, whisking until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour into a medium bowl. Whisk the egg and vanilla in the bowl with the melted butter/sugar mixture, until smooth. Stir in flour and baking powder, until well incorporated. Now pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cookie batter until lightly golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle dulce de leche over the partially baked cookie sheet. You are going to want to use a spatula to spread the dulce de leche evenly throughout the top of the cookie. Now for the fun part- sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips and walnuts. Return to the oven and bake until set around the edges and chocolate begins to melt, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a rack and allow to cool in the pan completely. It is important for the dessert to cool in order for the dulce de leche to set properly. Once it is cooled off, you can lift it out of the pan using the foil hanging over the two sides. Remove the foil and cut into squares.
Dulce De Leche Cookie Squares
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 24 Cookie Squares
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dulce de leche
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees. Line a 9 x13 metal pan with aluminum foil, leaving a two inch overhang on two-sides; lightly spray with cooking oil.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt over medium heat, whisking until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved; pour into a bowl. Whisk the egg and vanilla into the melted sugar mixture, until smooth. Stir in flour and baking powder, until well incorporated; pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake the cookie batter until lightly golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle dulce de leche over the partially baked cookie sheet; using a spatula spread evenly throughout the top. Sprinkle with top with chocolate chips and walnuts. Return to the oven and bake until set around the edges and chocolate begins to melt, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a rack and allow to cool in the pan completely. Lift out of the pan using the foil. Remove the foil and cut into squares.
-wholeELchilada