Chocolate and Caramel Peanut Cookie Bars

 

1

pouch Betty Crocker® double chocolate chunk cookie mix

1/4

cup vegetable oil

2

tablespoons water

1

egg

36

caramels (from 14-oz bag), unwrapped

1

can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

1/4

cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2

cups peanuts

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans).
• 2 In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish.
• 3 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• 4 Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt caramels with sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to make sure bottom does not burn. Add peanut butter; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup of the peanuts.
• 5 Pour caramel mixture over baked crust. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup peanuts evenly over top. Cool 2 hours. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.