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
Those look fab. What is AP flour?
AP flour is all-purpose flour.
Sorry about that…just regular old bleached white flour 😉
Sooooo excited to try these! But… I noticed that there is no measurement for the milk/cream (at least not on my screen!). I’m actually seeing a “?” instead of an amount. Could you tell me how much milk/cream to add to this?
How weird! I just changed it..it was 1/3 cup. On the “printable recipe” link it came up the right way. That must have happened when my site moved over…
Sorry about the confusion 🙂
Just came across the recipe. I made it today. Divine. So rich it is sinful. Here's my post on the adventure and link back to you.
http://scouttenfineart.blogspot.com/2011/06/salted-caramel-butter-bars.html
Amazing!!! I found this post on Pinterest…and I repinned it…must make soon!
Me gusta muchisimo todo lo que haces y soy una de tus seguidoras ,besos
http://mary505.blogspot.com/
Rebecca ~ When the crust is done baking the recipe says to transfer to a wire rack to cool, meaning transfer the pan to the wire rack. The photo does show the whole pan on the wire rack cooling, the pan is just clear glass.
I will alter the recipe so it is easier to understand. Thanks.
I'm a bit confused the instructions say to remove the crust from the pan to cool it but then we out it back to cook the topping? Then why remove it at all? Ps: it doesn't actually say to return it to the pan. The photo shows the crust out of the pan to cool.
I just discovered your blog and I love love love it. Everything looks delicious. I am definitely going to be giving these bars a try!
http://hannahinthekitchen.blogspot.com
Ohhh, these look killer! And I want that Sticky Gooy cookbook too! I saw Princess Emulsion at Rosses the other day. I might have to go back and pick some up and give it a try!
I made these on Sunday and had to take most of them to work for fear that I'd eat the entire pan! They are divine.
I love your writing style. Very witty with fantastic recipes!!