Description
These Salted Caramel Gooey Butter Bars feature a buttery crumb crust topped with a rich, sweet, and slightly salty caramel-infused batter. Perfectly gooey and decadently sweet, these bars are a delightful dessert treat with layers of luscious salted caramel baked into every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Salted Caramel
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
Filling
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
Instructions
- Make the Salted Caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Allow the mixture to boil without stirring until it turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat and carefully stir in 6 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of room temperature heavy whipping cream until the caramel is smooth. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in 5 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Press this crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking pan to form the crust.
- Make the Filling: In a separate bowl, beat 3/4 cup room temperature unsalted butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1 large egg, mixing well to combine. Gradually blend in 1 cup all-purpose flour and 2/3 cup evaporated milk until smooth.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the filling batter evenly over the prepared crust. Drizzle half of the reserved salted caramel over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until the center is slightly jiggly but set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
- Finish: Once cooled, drizzle the remaining salted caramel over the top of the bars. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Ensure the heavy cream added to the caramel is at room temperature to prevent the caramel from seizing.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to achieve clean slices and gooey texture.
- Use unsalted butter to control the salt level in the caramel and filling precisely.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- For a deeper caramel flavor, let the sugar boil to a darker amber but be careful not to burn it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Salted caramel bars,Salted caramel gooey butter bars,gooey butter bars,baked caramel dessert,butter crust dessert
