Description
Rich, buttery bars with a soft caramel layer, topped with a crumbly dough for a perfect snack or treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 (14 oz) bag of caramel candies, unwrapped (or 2 cups soft caramel bits)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ to 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a thick dough forms.
- Press half to two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Set the remaining dough aside for the topping. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
- While the crust is baking, melt the caramel candies and heavy cream together in a microwave-safe bowl or over low heat on the stove. Stir frequently until smooth and fully combined.
- Once the bottom layer is done baking, remove it from the oven and pour the warm caramel over the crust. Spread evenly with a spatula and sprinkle the top with sea salt.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the caramel layer without pressing it down.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is set and lightly golden.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing. For cleaner slices, chill in the fridge for 1 hour after cooling.
Notes
Pre-baking the bottom layer prevents the caramel from soaking in. Warm caramel spreads more evenly; stir to avoid hot spots. Chilling before slicing helps achieve clean edges.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 60mg