Description
These Salted Caramel Butter Bars are a decadent and irresistible dessert featuring a buttery crust, a smooth caramel layer, and a sprinkle of sea salt for the perfect sweet and salty balance. Easy to make and perfect for sharing, they deliver rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Filling
- 1 (11 oz) bag of soft caramels (about 35 caramels)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make removal easier.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the vanilla extract until just combined.
- Form and Bake the Crust: Press half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden around the edges.
- Prepare the Caramel Sauce: While the crust is baking, melt the soft caramels and heavy cream together in a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth and fully combined.
- Add Caramel Layer: Pour the melted caramel over the baked crust and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Add Remaining Dough: Crumble the remaining half of the dough over the caramel layer in even pieces to form a rustic topping.
- Bake the Bars: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and set.
- Finish and Cool: Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the top with sea salt for a perfect balance of flavors. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 24 pieces.
Notes
- For easier slicing, refrigerate the bars for 1–2 hours after they have cooled completely.
- To save time, you can substitute store-bought caramel sauce, but reduce the heavy cream amount to keep the caramel layer thick.
- Be sure to use cold butter to achieve a crumbly, tender crust texture.
- Use parchment paper lining for easy removal without breaking the bars.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
