Description
Indulge in these Salted Caramel Butter Bars, a perfect blend of rich buttery dough and luscious caramel topped with a hint of sea salt. These bars offer a delightful balance of sweet and salty flavors with a crisp golden crust and gooey caramel center, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Topping
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the bars evenly.
- Prepare the baking dish: Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent the bars from sticking and facilitate easy removal after baking.
- Make the dough base: In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is creamy and smooth, creating the foundation for your bars.
- Combine dry ingredients: Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour and salt into the creamed butter and sugar until a consistent dough forms without overmixing.
- Press dough into dish: Reserve one-third of the dough, then press the remaining two-thirds evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the base layer.
- Add caramel layer: Spread the caramel sauce evenly over the dough base, making sure to cover it completely for a gooey center.
- Crumble remaining dough: Crumble the reserved dough over the caramel layer in small pieces to create a textured topping.
- Sprinkle sea salt: Lightly sprinkle sea salt over the top to enhance the sweet and salty flavor contrast of the bars.
- Bake the bars: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and the top is set.
- Cool and serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting them into 12 servings to ensure clean slices and proper texture.
Notes
- For extra gooey bars, use soft caramel sauce and spread it gently to avoid mixing with the dough.
- Ensure the butter is softened, not melted, for better dough consistency.
- You can substitute sea salt with flaky Maldon salt for a more delicate salty crunch.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a chocolate twist, drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled bars before slicing.
