Salted Caramel Butter Bars Recipe

After a week of tinkering I finally perfected Salted Caramel Shortbread with an ooey gooey caramel layer that quietly stole the show at every gathering.

I still can’t stop thinking about these salted caramel butter bars. They look simple but the buttery shortbread shatters at first bite and then a molten caramel floods your mouth.

I used lots of unsalted butter and plenty of light brown sugar so each bar is rich but not cloying, and the top gets that sparkle you want. I call them Ooey Gooey Caramel Bars when folks ask what to bring, and everyone always says they taste like something you should never be allowed to know about.

Try one and see how fast they disappear, honestly.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: Rich source of fat and flavor, makes bars tender and buttery, not healthy really
• Powdered sugar: Adds fine sweetness and soft texture, mostly carbs, no fiber, sneaks in quickly
• All purpose flour: Provides structure and chew, mostly starch carbs, small amount of protein and fiber
• Light brown sugar: Moist sugar with a hint of molasses, gives caramel notes and chewy bites
• Heavy cream: Makes caramel smooth and rich, adds fat and creaminess, tiny bit of protein
• Vanilla extract: Tiny splash lifts flavor and rounds sweetness, almost magic, use real vanilla if you can
• Flaky sea salt: Sprinkled on top for contrast, brings out sweetness, has trace minerals and texture

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), packed
• 2 cups (about 250 g) all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons (about 85 g) unsalted butter for the caramel
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (optional, helps keep caramel smooth)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang, and lightly grease the parchment so the bars lift out easy.

2. Make the shortbread: cream 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add 2 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, mix just until the dough comes together, don’t overwork it or it’ll get tough.

4. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup to get a smooth surface. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are just turning pale golden. Let it cool a few minutes while you make the caramel.

5. Make the caramel: in a medium saucepan combine 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture comes to a simmer.

6. Carefully stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream, bring back to a gentle boil and simmer 2 to 3 minutes while stirring constantly until glossy and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt.

7. Pour the hot caramel evenly over the warm shortbread crust and spread with an offset spatula. It will be thin at first but it sets as it cools.

8. Return the pan to the oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes more, until the caramel is bubbling and starting to set at the edges.

9. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes to firm for nice clean slices. Sprinkle a little extra flaky sea salt on top before cutting.

10. Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, slice with a sharp knife (wipe the knife between cuts or warm it under hot water and dry for cleaner edges). Store in the fridge for firmer bars or at room temp for softer, gooier ones.

Equipment Needed

1. 8 by 8 inch square baking pan, lined with parchment and lightly greased
2. Parchment paper (leave an overhang for easy lifting)
3. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a whisk if you gotta do it by hand)
4. Mixing bowls, at least one medium and one small
5. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a kitchen scale if you want extra accuracy
6. Medium saucepan for the caramel
7. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon for stirring, plus an offset spatula for spreading the caramel
8. Wire cooling rack and a sharp knife for slicing (wipe knife between cuts or warm it for cleaner edges)

FAQ

Salted Caramel Butter Bars Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter (1 cup): swap with salted butter, just cut the added fine salt in the recipe by about 1/4 teaspoon. For dairy free use a stick of firm vegan butter 1:1, texture may be a tad different.
• Powdered sugar (1/2 cup): if you don’t have it, blitz 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a blender or food processor until powdery, works fine for the shortbread base.
• Heavy cream (1/4 cup): use 3 tablespoons whole milk plus 1 tablespoon melted butter to mimic the fat, or swap for 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk for a dairy free option that changes the flavor a bit.
• Light corn syrup (2 tablespoons, optional): replace with 2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or golden syrup. Honey adds flavor and may make the caramel slightly thinner so watch cooking time for the right thickness.

Pro Tips

1. Make sure the butter for the shortbread is soft but not greasy. If it looks shiny or oily while creaming, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes and finish slowly. That keeps the crust tender instead of greasy and dense.

2. Use a candy thermometer for the caramel and aim for the soft ball range about 234 to 240 F if you want chewy but set bars. Warm the cream a bit before adding and add it slowly off the hottest flame to avoid violent bubbling and grainy texture.

3. Press the crust as evenly as you can and bake on the middle rack for consistent color. If the edges brown too fast, tent foil around the pan sides or pull it a minute or two early then finish the caramel step.

4. For clean slices and best texture, cool completely then chill until firm. Warm a large sharp knife under hot water, dry it, cut, and wipe between cuts. If you want softer, gooier bars, skip much of the chilling and store at room temp, but cuts will be messier.