My poor, neglected children pointed out to me yesterday that it had been a very long time since I made homemade cookies or bars. My mind quickly tried to prove them wrong as it raced back weeks at a time through recipe memories. They were right. It had been a very long time.
You would think that one of the benefits of having a mom who hosts a food blog would be endless sweets and treats. Oh well. Next week starts the madness of graduation cakes and cupcakes so there will be nothing but sweet confections coming out of my kitchen for a couple weeks. They love hanging out to snatch up any spare cupcake, cake piece or frosting.
These bars have been at the top of my list of recipes I wanted to try so I was excited to finally get the excuse to make them. They were actually easier to make than I first anticipated and that is always a great thing! The longest part is just waiting for each individual layer to cool, but feel free to use the fridge or freezer to help that process speed up.
I added salt to the crust portion because I love the play of salty and sweet together. My daughter wanted me to leave half of the bars without chocolate and instead, sprinkle on some sea salt over the caramel layer. I told her she just created a new recipe for me to post another day. Act surprised please when you see her version in a “new” post in the weeks to come 🙂
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a 9×13 pan lightly with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft, then add the salt, vanilla and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the flour and carefully combine. Press mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan and bake for about 35 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Melt the caramel squares and cream in a medium microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Heat for 3 minutes on high, stopping to stir after each minute. Spread the melted caramel over the cooled crust and place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to allow the caramel to cool.
3. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 2 minutes, stopping to stir after the first minute. Spread evenly over the cooled caramel and return the pan to the refrigerator until the chocolate is set. Cut into squares to serve.
Author:Carole
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 bar
Calories:282
Sugar:22g
Sodium:350mg
Fat:16g
Saturated Fat:13g
Unsaturated Fat:2g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:33g
Fiber:1g
Protein:3g
Cholesterol:31mg
Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
38 comments
Jensine Kinser
13 years ago
I would think about putting this as my desktop picture, but I worry I might get drool in the keyboard. 😉
daiseered
13 years ago
I can’t stop pinning stuff from this site. Everything looks amazing!
kate
13 years ago
do you really use salted butter? I would think that plus the added salt would be too much.
Carole
13 years ago
I do use salted butter. Feel free to use unsalted if you wish. The salty crust pairs nicely with the sweet caramel and chocolate layers!
Anonymous
13 years ago
I am from Australia and I was just wondering what the caramel squares are, as I would live to give this receipe a go.
Carole
13 years ago
They are individually wrapped soft caramel candies that when melted, become soft enough to use as a dip or to spread. Good luck!
Anonymous
13 years ago
I want to make these but could you please explain what the “C” stands for? – cup? Thank you.
Carole
13 years ago
Yes, C is standard for cup in a recipe.
Anonymous
12 years ago
Everytime I make these, the carmel gets so hard that I can’t cut them and end up throwing the pan away. Any suggestions?
Carole
12 years ago
Sounds like you are cooking the caramel too long or too high in the microwave. Try doing it just until the caramel melts and you can stir it all together smoothly. Each microwave is different so three minutes must be way too long for yours. Good luck!
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38 comments
I would think about putting this as my desktop picture, but I worry I might get drool in the keyboard. 😉
I can’t stop pinning stuff from this site. Everything looks amazing!
do you really use salted butter? I would think that plus the added salt would be too much.
I do use salted butter. Feel free to use unsalted if you wish. The salty crust pairs nicely with the sweet caramel and chocolate layers!
I am from Australia and I was just wondering what the caramel squares are, as I would live to give this receipe a go.
They are individually wrapped soft caramel candies that when melted, become soft enough to use as a dip or to spread. Good luck!
I want to make these but could you please explain what the “C” stands for? – cup? Thank you.
Yes, C is standard for cup in a recipe.
Everytime I make these, the carmel gets so hard that I can’t cut them and end up throwing the pan away. Any suggestions?
Sounds like you are cooking the caramel too long or too high in the microwave. Try doing it just until the caramel melts and you can stir it all together smoothly. Each microwave is different so three minutes must be way too long for yours. Good luck!