Ok, you seriously have to try these. I took them to a party and they were a huge hit. They were even described as the best dessert, ever. These bars have all of the things you love in one: shortbread, caramel, chocolate chip cookie dough (yes, the dough not cookies, and chocolate). If they get too warm the caramel does ooze out a bit, which is hard to avoid during a Georgia summer, but really is oozing caramel a bad thing? I don't think so.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Billionaire Bars

yield: 24 bars

Shortbread Layer:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Caramel Layer:

1 14 oz. pkg. chewy caramel candy, unwrapped

1/4 cup half-and-half

Cookie Dough Layer:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup half-and-half

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Layer:

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment leaving it long enough on the two 9" sides to be able to use it to pull up and remove the bars from the pan. Beat together 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt and beat until evenly distributed. Beat in flour until combined. Mixture will be crumbly. Press into prepared pan. Prick dough with a fork. Bake for 18 to 22 to minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Microwave the caramel and 1/4 cup half-and-half, stirring at 30 second intervals until melted. This will probably take about 2 minutes total. Spread evenly over the shortbread layer in the pan. Refrigerate until set (about an hour).

Beat together the butter and sugars for the cookie dough layer with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the salt and flour and mix on low until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread evenly over the caramel layer and refrigerate while you make the chocolate layer.

Microwave the chocolate and butter at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir. Then, microwave until melted at 50% power stirring every 20 seconds. Spread evenly over the cookie dough layer. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, use the parchment to help you lift the contents of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator