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Perfect Salted Caramel Butter Bars

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These salted caramel butter bars strike the perfect balance of sweet and salty, with a buttery shortbread crust and gooey caramel center. A crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt (plus more for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  3. Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the texture tender.
  4. Press half of the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. Use your hands or the back of a spoon to smooth it out. Reserve the other half for the topping.
  5. Bake the bottom layer for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while preparing the caramel.
  6. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved, then add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Once the caramel thickens slightly, remove it from heat and stir in the sea salt.
  8. Pour the caramel filling over the cooled shortbread base, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
  9. Take the reserved shortbread dough and crumble it over the caramel layer, ensuring it covers most of the surface but still leaves some gaps for the caramel to peek through.
  10. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top crumbles are golden brown.
  11. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang. Sprinkle with extra flaky sea salt before cutting into squares.

Notes

[‘Don’t overmix the shortbread dough to keep the crust tender.’, ‘Let the caramel cool slightly before layering to prevent melting the shortbread base.’, ‘Use flaky sea salt for the topping for the best texture and flavor.’, ‘Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to avoid caramel oozing.’, ‘Make ahead by preparing the base and caramel filling in advance.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, butter bars, dessert, easy recipe, sweet and salty, shortbread, caramel dessert

Find it online: https://magnetmeal.com/perfect-salted-caramel-butter-bars-recipe-you-need-to-try/