The Best Salted Caramel Brownie Recipe

5 from 5 votes

The Best Salted Caramel Brownie Recipe

These Salted Caramel Brownies are rich, fudgy, and swirled with buttery homemade caramel. Easy to make and perfectly balanced with a hint of sea salt, they’re a decadent treat for chocolate and caramel lovers alike.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Chocolate

Servings: large brownies

Calories: 599kcal

Author: Good Dinner Mom

Ingredients

For the Salted Caramel:

1 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature, cut into thirds
½ cup heavy cream room temperature
1 to 1 ½ tsp sea salt if using regular table salt, use less

For the Brownies:

12 Tbsp unsalted butter melted (1 ½ sticks)
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
¾ cup cocoa powder
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup of the salted caramel optionally, use ½ cup purchased pre-made caramel sauce
Coarse salt for sprinkling on finished brownies optional

Instructions

Make the Caramel:

Pour sugar into a medium saucepan and heat to medium-high. Using a rubber spatula, stir the sugar just occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan. At first the sugar will be lumpy, but will soon melt and start turning brown. Don't stir too often, just enough to keep everything evenly cooking. After about 5 minutes, the sugar should be fully melted and become a rich amber color.
1 cup granulated sugar
At this point, remove the pan from the heat and immediately add 6 Tablespoons butter. The mixture will start to bubble quite rapidly. That's just what you want.
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
Using your spatula or a whisk, stir the butter and sugar until they melt together almost completely. This can take 1-2 minutes.
Next, pour in heavy whipping cream and sea salt. If you're making regular caramel, then add ½ teaspoon salt and no more. If you're making a salted caramel version, add anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 ½ teaspoons depending on your liking.
½ cup heavy cream, 1 to 1 ½ tsp sea salt
Stir constantly now until the sauce is all mixed together and is smooth. Place back on the stove at medium-high heat again for about 20 seconds more. Remember to keep stirring.
Remove from heat and serve immediately for a hot option over ice cream or let cool at least 15 minutes for room temperature use.
Over several minutes, the caramel will become harder to stir. For a manageable sauce, just heat in microwave for 10-15 seconds and stir again.

Make the Brownies:

While the caramel is cooling, preheat oven to 350℉ degrees. Very lightly, butter an 8"x8" baking dish. Cut two 7"x 16" pieces of parchment paper. Place one piece in the dish with edges coming up the sides. Place the second sheet of parchment paper in dish coming up the other sides of the pan. Very lightly butter the parchment so all surfaces are lightly buttered. Set aside.
In a medium bowl or stand mixer bowl, stir together melted butter and the sugar until mixed well. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing on medium speed of the stand mixer or quickly by hand. Once combined fold in cocoa powder and flour.
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp salt, ¾ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup all-purpose flour
Pour about half the brownie batter into the baking dish, spreading evenly to the edges and up the sides of the pan a little.
Pour ½ cup (more or less, depending on your liking) of the salted caramel over the brownie batter, spreading evenly but not quite to the edges.
½ cup of the salted caramel
Spoon the rest of the brownie batter over the top, sealing in as much of the caramel as you can.
Bake at 350℉ degrees for 30 minutes. Then decrease temperature to 325℉ degrees and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Reducing the heat for the last few minutes helps the brownies to bake evenly from edges to center without the edges getting over-cooked.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely (about 1 hour). Cut into 9 squares.
Serve with extra ½ cup caramel drizzled over each brownie, if desired. Also, sprinkle with coarse salt (just a little).
Coarse salt for sprinkling on finished brownies

Notes

If you prefer, you can use store-bought caramel sauce—just warm it slightly so it spreads easily.
A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top brings out both the caramel and chocolate flavors.
Don’t overbake! The brownies should be just set in the center for that rich, fudgy texture.
For clean cuts, cool completely and wipe your knife between slices.

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