Salted Caramel Gooey Butter Bars Recipe
These Salted Caramel Gooey Butter Bars combine a rich, buttery crust with a luscious creamy filling topped with homemade salted caramel drizzle. Perfect for caramel lovers seeking a gooey, indulgent dessert with a balanced touch of saltiness to enhance the sweetness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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 Salted Caramel: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Allow it to boil without stirring until the mixture turns an amber color. Remove from heat and immediately add butter pieces and heavy cream while stirring continuously until the sauce is smooth. Stir in salt and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in cold butter pieces with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Press this crumb mixture evenly into a greased 9×13 inch baking pan to form the crust.
- Make Filling: In a separate large bowl, beat the room temperature butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup and egg, mixing until well combined. Gradually add the flour and evaporated milk, mixing gently to incorporate without overbeating.
- Assemble Bars and Bake: Pour the filling batter over the prepared crust in the baking pan. Drizzle half of the prepared salted caramel sauce evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until the center is slightly jiggly when gently shaken.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, drizzle the remaining salted caramel over the bars. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Make sure the heavy cream is at room temperature to prevent caramel from seizing.
- Do not overbake; the center should be slightly jiggly when done to maintain gooey texture.
- Use a sharp knife warmed with hot water for cleaner cuts when slicing bars.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For a stronger salted caramel flavor, sprinkle a flaky sea salt on top before serving.
Keywords: salted caramel, gooey butter bars, caramel bars, dessert bars, homemade caramel, buttery dessert
