These Salted Caramel Butter bars are one of my most requested recipes ever! The buttery cookie is filled with a creamy, salted caramel that is so rich and beyond delicious.
Salted Caramel Butter Bars are THE BEST Cookie Bar of ALL TIME!
I can’t begin to explain to you how much I love these Salted Caramel Butter Bars…I make them ALL THE TIME. They are one of my most requested desserts to bring to parties and there is never one left! And might I add, if you happen to be entering a cookie contest, these will guarantee you victory. Unequivocally.
The base is a buttery shortbread that comes together very easily and the filling is simply caramels, milk or cream, and a little salt! You can use pre-made caramels, or even a thick caramel sauce. I do recommend using caramels over sauce, because I think the texture is more chewy and hold up better than sauce, but so many of you who have made this recipe let me know that you have used caramel sauce and it’s worked out well!
How To Make Salted Caramel Butter Bars
It’s all a pretty easy process, just a few steps, honestly: you make dough, you divide dough, you bake some of the dough, you chill some of the dough…
Looking For More Caramel Recipes? Try These:
Salted Caramel Butter Bars
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Cookie Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Salted Caramel Butter Bars are a buttery shortbread filled with creamy salted caramel! A MUST MAKE!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all purpose flour
For the Filling:
- 14 ounces soft caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
- 1/3 cup milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- optional – 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Press one-third of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Wrap the remaining dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are a pale golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.
To Make the Filling:
- While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the milk or cream. 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.
- Once the caramel is melted add in your ½ teaspoon of vanilla and stir until combined.
- Pour the caramel filling over the cooled crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.
- Remove the remaining chilled dough from the 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 completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Store airtight for up to 5 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 423
- Sugar: 39.9 g
- Sodium: 515.9 mg
- Fat: 18.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.6 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
- Cholesterol: 43.6 mg
Hi,
Those bars look wow…yummy…love them…:)
Dr.Sameena@
http://www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com
Holy stromboli!!!! Do these ever sound yummy. We are having an open house for our business in a few weeks and our customers are always expecting some new and different cookies from me. These might just fit the bill. That is if we don't eat them all before the customers get here!
Oh I have been in a funk for about a month now….oh sweet butter only you can help me…I was passing by to say "HI" and wow glad I did..these are amazing…yum girl yum
sweetlife
As everyone has already mentioned…these look amazing! You had me sold at "salted caramel". I'm sorry you have been in a funk lately (I think a lot of us are in that boat right now). Stay positive and keep on baking!
Were we separated at birth? Holy moley — those look amazing! I've been in a funk these days too. The time change must have something to do with it — totally throws the whole universe out of whack! Well, I'm glad to hear that you employed a little salted caramel therapy and that your week is on the upswing!
I was working on my blogroll today — on my blog it's a page called "Good Eggs". I realized that I only had one food-related blog listed and knew just who to add…YOU! Here's the link. http://www.rookno17.com/2008/09/good-eggs.html
Hahahaaa, thanks for the giggle! Love the fat jeans being your skinny jeans comment, we've all been there and hello, LOVE all the housewives! Oh yeah, and the treats look delish too! 🙂
Yum!
BDW, i love princess cookies flavor so muc too!!
Oh u have the cutest blog and i have that cutest book:-)
Its a super cool book and i love the colors and prints in there!!
these sound jus the bars i wud lovee to indulge in!!
So lovely!!
These look AMAZING! I have never seen these before and I even have the cookbook. I looked it up, but I like your version better! 🙂
Funny post!