Sweet and salty, totally irresistible, these bars live up to their name because they are full of caramel. A buttery crust holds this decadent bar for your fingers to bring to your mouth to enjoy. Bring a batch with you, because they are great for parties! They will be requested again and again!
It finally snowed! It looks strangely like winter outside today. The snow that fell was the wet heavy kind, causing our satellite dish to cease working last night. Did I mention that this happened just as I was sitting down to watch a show that I get really excited about watching every week? I was super bummed, but it opened up time to accomplish a few other tasks, such as writing out a birthday post for my 5-year-old boy! Our journey with Elijah has been one filled with challenges and incredible joy. Seven heart catheterizations, three open heart surgeries, two bronchoscopies, one spinal cord surgery and one urethra surgery later, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change any of it. Happy 5th birthday, beautiful son of mine! What an incredible journey it has been.
So yesterday was an emotional day for me. Looking back on the first 5 years of this boy’s life made me weepy. Grateful and happy, but still weepy. At the end of yesterday, I needed comfort! Especially since the snowed-upon satellite dish ruined one of my comfort sources. So I broke out the ice cream and Bailey’s! But if I would have had a pan of these salted caramel butter bars nearby, it would have been completely demolished. Sadly, these bars were long gone.
I found these through the beloved Pinterest, on Cookies & Cups. It looks like the original source is the cookbook Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth. Why in the world do I not own this cookbook?! I do love to own cookbooks.
I about died when I saw how much butter was used for this recipe. I had my husband check and double check amounts and conversions before adding FOUR STICKS OF BUTTER to my bowl. But believe me, it wasn’t deterring me from trying out this recipe – don’t let it stop you either!
WATCH THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL ON HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL APPLES – AN EPISODE BY KIDS IN THE KITCHEN!
Enjoy the step-by-step video tutorial we have created for this recipe! Our goal is to make your time in the kitchen as easy as possible and to ensure that your version of this recipe is a success. See our full collection of cooking and baking videos on YouTube!
HOW TO MAKE SALTED CARAMEL BUTTER BARS
These bars are weak-in-the-knees delicious dessert bars!
STEP 1
In a large bowl, combine:
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4 sticks (yes, 1 POUND) salted butter, at room temperature
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1 cup white sugar
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1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Using a hand-held mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add 2 tablespoons of vanilla and beat until combined.
STEP 2
Gradually add 4 cups of all-purpose flour to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Press one half of the dough evenly into the prepared pan to form a bottom crust, and place the remaining dough in the refrigerator.
STEP 3
Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are pale golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
STEP 4
While the crust is cooling, make the caramel filling.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine:
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One 14-oz. bag caramel candies, (unwrapped caramels)
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1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If the caramels are not completely melted, microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the caramel filling over the crust. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt over the top.
Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel layer.
COOKING TIPS:
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Some stores sell caramel bits in a bag, removing the need to unwrap all those individual caramels that are begging to be taste tested when really they need to be used for the recipe. Try them if you can!
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If you just don’t have time or plain don’t want to make your own caramel sauce – Smuckers Simple Delights Salted Caramel sauce in the ice cream toppings aisle is a good substitute. While I love this homemade version, I can grasp why you’d take the short cut.
STEP 5
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.
COOKING TIP:
Don’t refrigerate these bars to cool them down. It’ll harden your caramel and possibly make you break a tooth.
HOW TO STORE SALTED CARAMEL BUTTER BARS
These can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
After your first bite, you will likely forget about all of that butter. I did.
OPTIONAL ADD INS:
Wanna up the game? Add one of these options to your bars, they’d be amazing.
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Chopped walnuts
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Mini chocolate chips
CHECK OUT A COUPLE OF MY OTHER FAVORITE CARAMEL DESSERTS!
WHAT TO SERVE AT A PARTY
I LOVE party food, so you have come to the right place if you are looking for recipes to make for your next gathering. Here are some options for you that will be easy, delicious and crowd-pleasing!
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Fruit Pizza – The classic, crowd-pleasing Fruit Pizza has a cookie dough crust, dreamy cream cheese frosting and a colorful top layer of fruit and a tasty glaze. Great appetizer/dessert for parties of any kind, any time of the year!
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Taco Ranch Pasta Salad – This delicious pasta salad gets totally devoured at gatherings, no matter the season.
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Sausage Cheese Dip – Sausage Cheese Dip is easy to make (let your crockpot do the work for you!), cheesy, flavorful and totally irresistible! Serve as an appetizer at your next party and it won’t last long. Only 6 ingredients required for this delicious party food!
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7-Layer Taco Dip – This is the best 7-Layer Taco Dip you’ll ever meet! It’s the perfect appetizer and party food and it is always the first thing to get devoured.
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Crockpot Meatballs – These require only a few ingredients with only a few minutes of prep. They are SO EASY to make, totally packed with delicious flavor and great for game-day parties or holidays. Let your slow cooker do all of the work for you!
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Spinach Artichoke Dip – This hot Spinach Artichoke Dip is a party staple! People always get excited about this dip and its so easy to make! It’s a filling, cheesy snack or appetizer that you can put on pita squares, crackers or chips. Let your slow cooker do all of the work for you!
Salted Caramel Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 4 sticks salted butter 1 lb, room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tbsp vanilla
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 14 oz caramels unwrapped
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars. Using hand-held mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Press one half of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Place remaining dough in refrigerator. Bake until firm and edges are pale golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling.
- Place the caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
- Pour the caramel filling over the crust. Sprinkle the salt over top. Remove remaining dough from refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.
OMG! I made this recipe for a Halloween party, they were spooky delicious. My 88 year old mom who loves Carmel totally loved them. I will be making these as part if my Christmas baking for the gift baskets filled with homemade goodies my sister and I make for family and friends.
I totally use ice cream topping Carmel and it works wonderful!
Hi! Sarah, I don't know if you're in a higher altitude like me, but I had to do 350 as well. The crust took 35 minutes on 325, so I cranked it up for the crust and the caramel.
I will make this soon, but might also add a big wodge (at a guess 1/2 cup) peanut butter in the caramel mix. I think that just might make them even more delicious
Wow totally delicious worth making these!!!! Also took much longer to bake than on the recipe.
These look so yummy
OH my, these would put me in a serious happy place and happy birthday to your sweet little boy!
This is great. I tried it and everyone loved it.
For your satellite dish's problem with collecting snow, just spray a layer of Pam cooking spray on the dish part (the reflector) in the late fall. It really helps with keeping that dish able to receive a signal, when the others that aren't coated, won't.
(Yeah, I know it sounds ludicrous, but believe it or not, it works.)
I had trouble crumbling the dough for the topping – to soft and sticky. Any advice? Thank you!!
I just made these today and tried one. It was horrible.
Do not use 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt. I would
Completely omit salt all together. That one is going
In the trash.
I know everyone keeps asking about the butter and salt, i want to know do you really use 2 tablespoons of vanilla? The crust had a little bitter taste to me with that much vanilla. Next time I will try it with one tablespoon of vanilla.
I add a little kosher salt (1/2 tsp maybe?) to the caramel when I melt it. Tastes just as divine without having to buy a special salt. mmm… also, it takes much longer to bake the bottom crust than 20 minutes, more like 30 for mine.
I have made these bars multiple times. There are never any leftovers because people snitch them and take extras home! These are delicious!
I have made this recipe several times to rave reviews…thanks for posting. For the last batch I made, after I poured the hot caramel mix over the crust I sprinkled several handfuls of chocolate chips. My husband said he liked that version much better. Has anyone successfully adapted this recipe into individual tart servings? We have a covered dish dinner coming up and I would love to bring these and wanted to try to prepare them this way.
Hi Debby! I actually do use a tablespoon of coarse salt with these bars. A teaspoon would be great, too, I'm sure. These bars are intended to be very salty, as well as very sweet.
Megan
I just made these for my family. On a positive- these are absolutely delicious!! On a negative- is the tablespoon of salt an error? Thankfully I didn't use a whole tablespoon, so it wasn't completely ruined. But still, everyone thought it was way too salty. Next time I'm leaving out the salt, or using a teaspoon!!! Oh, and I did have to cook this longer than recipe calls for!
WOW, this texture looks amazing!
These bars were seriously DELICIOUS, thank you so much for sharing! I have a big, picky family and EVERYONE loved them, even the kids! I did have a little trouble baking the topping at 325, after 40 minutes it still looked gooey so I turned it up to 350, after about 7 more minutes I put the broiler on and let it brown for about 2 minutes because it was still looking uncooked. I was worried that the alterations would make the topping too hard, but it still was yummy and turned out just like your photos. Did anyone else have this problem and/or have any suggestions? Should I cook at 350 the whole time? Thanks!
Don't worry about all that butter… After my some quick math and looking at nutrition labels estimated there only to be around 8100 calories in the batch. Not bad.