Salted caramel brownies start with a fudgy chocolate base that's filled and topped with rich salted caramel. This decadent dessert is best served with a glass of milk!
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Fudgy chocolate brownies filled and topped with gooey caramel.
Easy for beginner bakers: Brownies are mixed with a spoon and there's no pesky leavening to worry about. All you need are two bowls to get started!
Pan size: 8x8 square
Similar to: Tahini Brownies, Frosted Brownies, and Dark Chocolate Walnut Brownies
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Wet ingredients - Eggs, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract add flavor and moisture to your brownies. Reducing any of the wet ingredients will result in a cakey brownie rather than a fudgy brownie.
- Dry ingredients - All-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt balance with the wet ingredients. Cocoa powder can be natural or Dutch cocoa (since we're not using any leavening).
- Caramel layer - Soft caramel candies and heavy cream are necessary to create the soft caramel layer. I used a half bag of Kraft wrapped caramel candies for this recipe. If desired, this recipe can be doubled and prepared in a 9x13 pan to use the entire 11 ounce bag of caramels (baking times are included in the recipe card below).
How to make salted caramel brownies
- After mixing your brownie base, pour about ⅔ of the batter into a parchment lined 8x8 pan.
- Melt caramels and heavy cream and mix to combine. Pour half over your brownie mixture and swirl with a knife.
- Top with remaining brownie batter and spread to cover caramel.
- Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce. Bake until the top looks set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Tips and tricks
To bring your eggs to room temperature quickly - Add the eggs (in the shell) to a small bowl and cover with warm tap water. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes.
Use parchment paper - There's nothing worse than making a batch of brownies only for them to stick to the pan! Line your loaf pan with parchment paper for best results. I don't recommend greasing your pan for this recipe because the caramel can get very sticky. Parchment also makes it easy to lift the entire batch of brownies from the pan before slicing.
Allow your brownies to cool before slicing - Slicing into warm brownies creates messy, crumbly edges. For smooth cuts, allow your brownies to cool most of the way first. Use a sharp chef's knife, wiping off between cuts, to make clean, even slices.
Want perfectly clean cuts? - For perfectly clean cuts and less fuss, spray your knife with cooking spray first.
Frequently asked questions
Homemade caramel brownies will keep for 4 to 5 days at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.
Brownies can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of an event and stored in a tightly sealed container. For best results, leave your brownie slab whole until just before serving - this helps retain their moisture.
If your brownies sunk in the middle after removing from the oven, it sounds like they weren't done baking. To prevent sinking, test the center of your brownies with a toothpick. If it comes out with wet batter, they're not done yet. Keep baking until the toothpick comes out with moist crumbs and the top looks set all the way across.
A fudgy brownie is the result of the ratio of fat to flour. Too much flour and not enough fat results in a cakier brownie. As written, this recipe makes a fudgy, rich, and dense brownie. Reducing the sugar or butter can cause them to turn out less fudgy.
Want that warm, fresh out of the oven feeling? Reheat individual squares for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
Yes, brownies are freezer-friendly and will keep in a tightly sealed container for up to three months. Make sure your brownies are cooled to room temperature before storing.
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📖 Recipe
Salted Caramel Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (107 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (80 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (42 g) cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces (142 g) soft caramels, unwrapped
- 2.5 tablespoons heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon coarse sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Add eggs and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients to butter mixture - flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until combined. Set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add soft caramels and heavy cream. Microwave in 30 second increments and stir until caramels are melted and fully combined with cream, creating a caramel sauce.
- Pour ⅔ of brownie batter into prepared 8x8 pan and spread to edges. Top with half of caramel sauce. Add remaining brownie batter on top and spread to edges. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce.
- Bake for about 22-24 minutes, or until the top looks set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not raw batter). Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt (optional).
- Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Make a 9x13 pan: This recipe uses half of an 11-ounce bag of Kraft Caramels. If you'd like to use the entire bag, this recipe can be doubled and made in a 9x13 pan instead. Your brownies will be slightly thicker and will take an additional 5+ minutes of baking time.
- Storage: Brownies will keep for 4-5 days at room temperature in a sealed container.
- Make ahead: If making brownies a day or two ahead of time, leaving the pan of brownies whole will help retain their moisture. Slice just before serving.
- Reheating: To reheat brownies and serve warm, microwave for 10-15 seconds for that fresh-out-the-oven feeling.
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