Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Blending the timeless appeal of buttery cookies with salted caramel candies, these salted caramel butter bars are rich, indulgent and truly well worth making.

Whether you want to make a special treat for the family, enter a best cookie contest or simply make something new and different, you won’t regret making these. The shortbread base is topped with cream or milk, caramel candies and a touch of salt. 

The topping sandwiches the salted caramel layer and the result is an impressive triple layer cookie boasting plenty of sweet and salty flavors in every bite. If you usually make the same cookies every holiday, why not try these to offer a change of pace? They’re crisp and chewy at the same time and the salted caramel tastes so good.

If you’re having guests over or if you’re not but you happen to have a very sweet tooth, these are sure to satisfy any craving.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe:

Salted caramel is such a great flavor and pairs beautifully with the buttery cookie dough. These bars are ideal for any occasion from Mother’s Day to Valentine’s Day. They also make a nice everyday treat.

How to Serve It:

Have a bar with your morning coffee or mid-afternoon as a pick-me-up. You can serve them for dessert or even box a few up as a gift for a fellow cookie lover.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• White sugar
• Powdered sugar

For the Filling:

• Caramel candies
• Sea salt
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy cream

How to make Salted Caramel Butter Bars:

Step 1. Use nonstick spray to grease a 13×9-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2. Combine the sugar and butter for the crust, mixing for several minutes until fluffy and light.

Step 3. Stir in the vanilla followed by the flour.

Step 4. Press about a third of this dough into the greased baking dish.

Step 5. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 6. Wrap the remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you need it.

Step 7. Take the crust out of the oven and let it cool.

Step 8. Unwrap all the caramels and stir with the cream in a plastic or glass bowl.

Step 9. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and repeat until the mixture is smooth.

Step 10. Mix in the vanilla.

Then pour the mixture over the cooled crust.

Step 11. Sprinkle sea salt on top.

Step 12. Take the remaining dough out of the refrigerator and crumble it over the caramel mixture.

Step 13. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Step 14. Cool and cut into squares to serve.

No one every regretted making salted caramel butter bar squares, and you won’t either! These are rich, buttery and delightfully gooey. If salted caramel is a favorite flavor of yours, there’s no way you won’t fall in love with these sweet, chewy bars.

Can You Make Them Ahead?

Feel free to prepare and cook the butter bars a couple of days ahead if you want.

Storage Instructions:

Keep these in an airtight container at room temperature. If the weather is really hot, you can refrigerate them so the caramel layer doesn’t melt. They should stay fresh for up to a week.

Variations and Substitutes:

If you prefer your caramel without salt, you can simply omit the sea salt from the recipe. Sea salt works best because the larger flakes are better in sweet recipes. You can also swap the vanilla for almond extract or another kind.