Indulge your chocolate cravings and prepare these crunchy caramel brownies with flaky sea salt. You will not regret it!
You might be tempted to keep such a decadent dessert all to yourself, but caramel brownies are an absolute crowd pleaser! Make a few batches to share as Valentine’s Day gifts for the loved ones in your life, wrap them up for a bake sale, or serve them up at a birthday party. Who says cake can have all the fun?
Follow these basic guidelines below and you’ll have a rich, fudgy caramel brownie in every bite!
- Make homemade caramel sauce and let cool.
- The batter will be thick, that’s how you want it.
- Spread the top of the dough with caramel.
- Toss the brownie and caramel together.
- Allow the brownies to cool to room temperature before slicing.
- After baking, drizzle with additional caramel and sprinkle with sea salt.
How to use leftover caramel sauce
I used my favorite homemade caramel sauce recipe from the website for these brownies because it’s the perfect buttery sweetness for my taste. If you’ve never made caramel sauce from scratch, don’t worry! Making it is easier than you think.
The trick is to have all the ingredients nearby and use a saucepan larger than you think you need, as the sauce will puff and expand. If you’re pressed for time or don’t want to make it from scratch, use a good quality store-bought version. Mrs. Richardson’s is a favorite and is the closest thing to homemade.
Either way, you’ll have more caramel than the recipe calls for, but really, who doesn’t need more caramel in their life?
Use up leftover caramel:
- Spoon it over ice
- Drizzle over cakes or tarts
- Dip apple slices in it
- Eat it by the spoonful
Swaps and Substitutions
This recipe is incredibly flexible. You can swap out the chocolate, cocoa, and even the caramel sauce.
- If you don’t have unsweetened baking chocolate, use what you have on hand, but reduce the sugar in the recipe by 1 tablespoon.
- Use either unsweetened natural cocoa powder or Dutch processed cocoa powder. Either will work well in this recipe.
- Don’t have time to make your own caramel sauce? Then fold in a quality store-bought caramel sauce.
How to dress up caramel brownies
You can add a little more to both the caramel and the brownie.
- To prepare salted caramel sauce: Before cooling, add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the caramel.
- For the brownie batter: Add 1/2 cup of toasted pecans, or if you want an over-the-top chocolate experience, add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
Get ahead
Caramel brownies are the perfect make award dessert. The caramel sauce can be made up to two weeks in advance and stored in the fridge.
- How to store the brownies: Keep them covered on your counter for 3 or 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- To freeze the brownies: The brownies can be frozen for up to three months, but the texture of the caramel may not be as creamy as it was before freezing.
How to Enjoy Caramel Brownies
To serve caramel brownies in an even more spectacular presentation, try them in a brownie sundae!
Place a brownie in a bowl and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with warm caramel sauce. For the finishing touch, add whipped cream, sugared pecans, chocolate sprinkles and of course a cherry on top.
More crave-worthy brownie recipes
- Juicy chocolate brownies
- Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
- Best Chocolate Brownies
- Fudgy Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies
- Brookies (chocolate chip cookies)
Caramel Brownies
You can make the caramel sauce up to two weeks in advance or use store-bought caramel. This recipe only uses about 1/3 cup of caramel, which means you’ll have caramel sauce left over to make sundaes!
ingredients
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1/3 Cup Caramel sauceplus more for drizzling
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1 1/4 cup (168G) all purpose flour
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1/4 cup (24G) Dutch processed cocoa powder
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3/4 cup (168G) unsalted butter
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3 ounces unsweetened chocolatechopped
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1 1/4 cups (260G) granulated sugar
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1/4 cup (46G) Brown sugar
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3 big eggs
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1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon flake Saltfor sprinkling (optional)
method
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Prepare caramel sauce:
I use this caramel recipe. It comes together in about 10 minutes. When finished, allow to cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge to cool completely before making the brownie batter.
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Prepare the pan:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat an 8 x 8 square metal baking pan with cooking spray.
Make a parchment loop by lining the pan with parchment paper, leaving an inch overhang on each side. This makes it easier to remove the brownies from the pan. Spray parchment and set aside.
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Prepare dry ingredients:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa to break up any lumps of cocoa and set aside.
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Melting butter and chocolate:
In a large (4 quart) saucepan over medium-high heat, add butter and chocolate. Stir until both are melted and fully combined. Remove from stove.
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Add sugar, salt and vanilla:
In the saucepan with the chocolate and butter, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and vanilla. The dough will look grainy.
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Add Eggs:
Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until fully incorporated. The batter will be smooth and shiny.
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Dough ready:
Add the flour-cocoa mixture to the dough. Use a spatula to stir everything together. The batter will be thick and glossy like icing.
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Transfer the batter and add the caramel:
Scrape the dough into the prepared casserole dish. If necessary, smooth the top with your spatula. Measure about 1/3 cup caramel sauce into a bowl. Your caramel should drip off the end of your spoon in thick streaks. If it’s too cool and thick to drizzle, then microwave it for a few seconds until it’s done.
Use a spoon to spread 9 dollops of caramel evenly over the brownie. I prefer to dip my spoon just below the surface of the brownie as I add the caramel to incorporate it a little better.
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Toss the caramel:
Use a knife to swirl the caramel through the batter in S-shapes. The batter will be thick, so only toss the top layer. Leave some pockets of caramel. Sprinkle with flake salt if using.
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Bake:
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the brownies reach an internal temperature of 210°F. A toothpick won’t come out clean because of the caramel that will melt into the batter and the fluffy nature of these brownies.
When baking, the center will remain very soft, but shouldn’t be wet to the touch. The caramel will look melted and not very visible, but don’t worry, it will firm up as it cools.
If you have a glass baking dish, you may need to add 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time.
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Drizzle with more caramel and enjoy:
Cool brownies in pan to room temperature on wire cooling rack. Drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons additional caramel and another light pinch of sea salt. Surcharge.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 343 | calories |
| 17g | Fat |
| 45g | carbohydrates |
| 5g | protein |
