Salted Caramel Brownies

I’ve never met a brownie I didn’t like. Whether cakey, fudgy or swirled with cream cheese, brownies are hands-down one of my favorite desserts. My latest brownie obsession? Swirled salted caramel brownies. They’re rich and decadent like most classic chocolate brownie recipes, but are infused with a divine homemade salted caramel sauce.

While some of our best brownie recipes start with a 8×8- or 9×9-inch square baking pan, this salted caramel brownie recipe uses a larger 9×13-inch pan for even more brownies. For real, you’ll eat half the batch before they even cool, so consider it a small insurance policy that you’ll have at least a few salted caramel brownies left to share with friends and family.

Don’t be intimidated if you’re new to homemade caramel sauce. This recipe is one of the easiest. You could use a store-bought caramel sauce in a pinch, but I implore you to give the homemade version a spin at least once. It’s worth the (small) extra effort, and will leave everyone impressed and begging you for the recipe.

Ingredients for Salted Caramel Brownies

• Homemade caramel: Caramel is made by caramelizing sugar until it reaches a deep, amber color. Then, for creaminess and richness, you melt butter into the molten sugar with a splash of heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt.
• Sugar: Sugar plays a critical role in making brownies—and in making brownies better. Beyond sweetness, sugar adds moisture and fudginess, provides height, and creates that irresistible, shiny, crinkly brownie top.
• Canola oil: Unlike butter, which can contribute to aeration, oil helps keep brownies ultra-dense and fudgy.
• Baking cocoa: While some brownies opt for melted chocolate, this salted caramel chocolate brownie recipe uses only cocoa powder, which gives these salted caramel brownies a rich and robust deep chocolate flavor.
• Eggs: Eggs greatly influence the texture of brownies. Generally, the more eggs you add, the cakier the brownies will be. Use room-temperature eggs for the best results.
• Milk: Milk adds moisture to this salted caramel brownie recipe, enhancing its fudgy texture.
• All-purpose flour: Not all flour is created equal. Good flour is a gourmet baking ingredient worth the splurge.
• Salt: Don’t skip the salt. It brings out all the decadent chocolate notes in the brownies.
• Baking powder: Baking powder acts as a leavener to give the salted caramel brownies just enough height.
• Flaky sea salt: This special type of salt is our favorite way to finish a batch of freshly baked salted caramel brownies.

Directions

Step 1: Make the caramel

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Heat the sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until it has melted, stirring once or twice. Continue cooking until the sugar is a dark, amber color, one to two minutes. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the warm heavy cream, vanilla and salt.

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Whisk everything together until the caramel is smooth, then transfer it to a small bowl. Refrigerate the caramel for 30 to 45 minutes until it has slightly thickened and is about at room temperature.

Editor’s Tip: There are different stages of caramel, from light to dark to burnt.

Step 2: Make the brownie batter

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Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, cocoa, eggs and milk at a medium speed until they’re smooth and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Gradually add the flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until the batter is well blended.

Editor’s Tip: Brownies are not foolproof. One common brownie mistake is overmixing the batter. You should mix the wet and dry ingredients just until you no longer see flour spots in the batter.

Step 3: Swirl the caramel into the brownie batter

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Transfer the salted caramel brownie batter to a greased 13×9-inch baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Drizzle the caramel over the top, then swirl them together using a knife. Finally, sprinkle with a few pinches of flaky sea salt.

Step 4: Bake

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Bake the salted caramel brownies until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes (do not overbake these brownies). Cool them completely on a wire rack. If desired, sprinkle them with additional flaky sea salt before serving.

Editor’s Tip: Overbaking is another common mistake when making brownies. It’s OK to see a few moist crumbs on the toothpick; it doesn’t have to be completely clean. You want them to be tender and moist.

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Salted Caramel Brownies Variations

• Add nuts: If you like brownies with nuts, add up to 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts to this recipe.
• Try more chocolate: For some extra decadence, mix 1/2 cup of chopped dark or semisweet chocolate into the brownie batter and top the brownies with an additional 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate after swirling in the caramel before baking.
• Frost the brownies: For those who enjoy frosting on their brownies, you can spread a layer of chocolate frosting or caramel frosting over the top once the brownies have fully cooled.

How to Store Salted Caramel Brownies

Cover the pan tightly in storage wrap or aluminum foil to store salted caramel brownies and keep them at room temperature. Uncut brownies will last up to five days; cut brownies will keep for two to three days.

Can you freeze salted caramel brownies?

Yes! You can freeze brownies, including these. Wrap the tray or individual brownies tightly in a layer of storage wrap and heavy-duty foil and store them in the freezer for up to three months.

Salted Caramel Brownies Tips

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What mistakes should you avoid when making caramel?

Caramel can be fickle. Some common caramel mistakes to avoid include using a thin pot, the wrong type of sugar and skipping the candy thermometer, one of the most essential candy-making tools in any kitchen.

Can you make caramel sauce with caramel candies?

It depends. You can’t make caramel sauce with hard caramel candies, as these typically have a high ratio of corn syrup. But you can make caramel sauce with chewy caramel squares. Simply melt the caramels over low heat until smooth, and then remove them from the heat and stir in the cream, salt and vanilla.

Can you make these brownies fudgier or cakier?

The great debate is whether a brownie should be fudgy or cakey. It comes down to personal preference. After making the recipe once, you can adjust its texture to suit your vision of the perfect brownie by either adding or removing eggs. For a fudgier brownie, remove one egg. For a cakier brownie, try adding one additional egg to the recipe.

What can you serve with salted caramel brownies?

Enhance these salted caramel chocolate brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, an additional drizzle of caramel sauce, chopped nuts and homemade hot fudge sauce.