Salted Caramel Bars
Salted Caramel Bars have a buttery shortbread base and a topping of rich, chewy caramel. A crunchy dusting of flaked sea salt on top is the perfect finishing touch!
- 3.5 oz granulated sugar ((½ cup))
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 5 oz unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 large egg yolk (whisked)
- 7.5 oz all-purpose flour ((1 ⅔ cup))
- 8 oz unsalted butter ((1 cup))
- 7.5 oz light brown sugar ((1 cup, lightly packed))
- 8.25 oz light corn syrup ((¾ cup))
- 1 tsp kosher salt (can be replaced with 1/2 tsp regular table salt)
- 1.75 oz granulated sugar ((¼ cup))
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Large-flaked sea salt (for garnish)
- Prepare to bake: Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-by-9-inch pan by lining the bottom with a long strip of parchment paper, making sure that the paper is long enough so the ends hang over the sides of the pan. Spray the parchment and pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix crust ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, and melted butter with a fork. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Finally, add the flour and stir until the crust comes together in moist clumps.
- Press dough into pan: Transfer the dough into the parchment-lined pan and press down with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to make an even layer.
- Chill, bake, and cool: Refrigerate the crust for 15-20 minutes, until chilled. Then bake the crust for about 25 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top. Let the crust cool completely while you prepare the caramel topping.
- Mix caramel ingredients: Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, granulated sugar, and heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. (The caramel will bubble up as it cooks, so be sure to use a pan where the mixture can triple in size.) If desired, use a wet pastry brush to wipe around the inside walls of the saucepan to remove excess sugar crystals.
- Cook caramel: Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and make sure that all of the sugar is dissolved. Once it's boiling, insert a candy thermometer and cook, stirring occasionally, until it reads 250°F. (This will produce a bar with a medium-firm chew. For a softer chew, cook to 245°F, and for a really firm chew, shoot for 255°F.)
- Stir in vanilla, pour over crust: Once at the right temperature, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and pour the caramel on top of the shortbread.
- Set the caramel: Let the bars sit at room temperature until the caramel is firm, about 2-3 hours. (You can speed up the setting process by refrigerating the bars, but the caramel will get very hard, and you might need to bring it back to room temperature before cutting and serving.)
- Cut and finish bars: Once the caramel has set, use the excess parchment like handles to lift the entire bar from the pan. Cut it into small squares or rectangles and finish the bars with a little sprinkling of flaked sea salt. Enjoy!
- Store: These bars are best stored, served, and eaten at room temperature. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but today I’m sharing a recipe where I intentionally resisted adding extra chocolate. I KNOW. I’m shocked too!
Although these Salted Caramel Bars would be delicious with chocolate, they are totally dreamy without it, and that’s not something I say lightly!
Shortbread crust: The crust is crisp, buttery, and SUPER easy to make.
Caramel topping: This rich caramel has the perfect texture: it’s chewy without being sticky, and sweet without being cloying, thanks to the generous spoonful of kosher salt in the recipe.
Sea salt flakes: The best part of each bar is the scattering of large sea salt flakes. They add crunch and a savory bite that perfectly contrasts with the caramel.
These caramel shortbread bars also have the perfect crust to caramel ratio–both layers are about equal, which is just the way I like it! Too much crust and you’ll have a dry bar cookie, but too much caramel can make it too chewy. The solution of equal parts shortbread and caramel balances everything out. Total perfection!
Shortbread Crust
Granulated sugar
Unsalted butter and salt: The butter gives richness to the crust and helps to bind it together. I always recommend using unsalted butter and adding a precise amount of salt. If you only have salted butter, omit the additional salt.
Large egg yolk: Make sure to use the yolk from a large egg. If you need more guidance, check out this tutorial about How to Separate Eggs (Four Different Ways!).
All-purpose flour
Caramel
Unsalted butter: This recipe is made with lots of butter because that’s what makes the bars so rich and luxurious. It’s best to use unsalted butter.
Light brown sugar: For deep rich caramel flavor. Either use a kitchen scale, or lightly pack the sugar into the measuring cup to get the correct amount.
Light corn syrup: Adds sweetness and body. Light corn syrup also helps to prevent crystalization, which sometimes occurs due to the grittiness of brown sugar.
Kosher salt: Regular table salt is very dense and tends to have a harsher, ‘saltier’ flavor than kosher salt. If you only have table salt, it will still work fine, but you’ll need to reduce the amount to a 1/2 teaspoon.
Granulated sugar
Heavy cream: A bit of heavy whipping cream makes the caramel extra-luscious.
Vanilla extract: Use your favorite brand or this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla (my fave!) for flavor.
Large-flaked sea salt: Sprinkling large-flaked sea salt on top of the bars adds visual interest, a touch of crunch, and glorious contrasting flavor. If you don’t have it, you can skip it and the bars will still be tasty. I don’t recommend using fine table or kosher salt sprinkled on top – it can make the bars too salty.
9×9 baking pan: I like to use a metal 9×9-inch baking pan with straight sides and square corners–it’s one of the secrets to cutting nice even bars without rounded edges.
Parchment paper: Use a strip long enough that excess hangs over the sides. You can use the excess parchment paper like handles to lift the bars out of the pan.
Medium saucepan: The caramel mixture will triple in size as it heats up. It’s important to use a large enough saucepan to accomodate the change in size, a 3-quart saucepan or 4-quart saucepan will both work well. Use a heavy-bottomed pan to prevent scorching and uneven heating.
Candy thermometer: Truly, a must for making perfect caramel. I can’t overemphasize the importance of using a candy thermometer for this recipe. Check out the Tips section below for more information.
Pastry brush: To prevent crystallization (and thus grainy caramel) use a wet pastry brush to wipe around the inside walls of the saucepan during cooking. The brush will remove excess sugar crystals and prevent larger ones from forming.
