Better Than Anything Bars

ngredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz)

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 large egg

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• ½ cup caramel sauce or dulce de leche

• ½ cup toffee bits (like Heath bits)

• Optional: flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven:
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Make the Base Layer:
   In a bowl, mix the cake mix, melted butter, and egg until a soft dough forms. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. Add the Layers:

• Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the dough layer.

• Drizzle caramel sauce across the top.

• Sprinkle with chocolate chips and toffee bits.

4. Bake:
   Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until edges are set and golden brown. The center may still look a bit gooey — that’s okay!

5. Cool and Chill:
   Let cool completely in the pan. For clean slices, refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting.

6. Serve:
   Slice into bars and optionally sprinkle with flaky sea salt for that sweet-salty finish.

Tips

• For extra chew: Use devil’s food cake mix or add chopped pecans.

• Shortcut: Use store-bought caramel sauce, or melt soft caramels with cream for a homemade touch.

• Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.