Salted Caramel Brownies

These salted caramel brownies are the definition of indulgence. Super rich dark chocolate brownies are baked with globs of homemade salted caramel. As it bakes, the caramel melts into the brownie to create holes and crevices throughout. That’s when homemade caramel sauce comes in to fill the gaps and provide pools of caramel all throughout the brownie. So yes, they’re just that good!

What makes these the best salted caramel brownies?

It was very important to me to create a salted caramel brownie recipe made with homemade salted caramel. Store bought caramel just can’t compete against the rich flavor of homemade caramel. Plus with homemade, it’s much easier to control the salt content. Because of this, these brownies are rich but not overly sweet!

The homemade salted caramel is also very easy to make. I have a whole entire post dedicated to the process of making caramel, just in case you have to troubleshoot!

Now for the brownies themselves, they are extra fudgy with melty chunks of dark chocolate all throughout. Each bite just melts in your mouth, with the combination of deep dark chocolate and sweet salted caramel.

Speaking of, these brownies are baked with globs of homemade caramel on top. As the brownies bake, the sugars dissolve into the batter and sink to the bottom. This creates holes and crevices all throughout the brownie. Although the caramel is no longer visible, the flavor is definitely still there!

This is when the other half of the homemade salted caramel comes in. It’s drizzled on top to fill the holes, leaving pools of homemade salted caramel in each slice. It’s truly heavenly.

Tips for making salted caramel

I have an entire post dedicated to this topic, so if you want more info definitely head over to my homemade salted caramel recipe! But here is a quick rundown of my top tips:

1. Ingredient Temperatures – Caramel is basically melted sugar mixed with butter and cream. The butter and cream are added to the very hot melted sugar, so if these ingredients are cold it’s going to shock the sugar and cause it to stiffen up. To prevent this, make sure both the butter and cream are at room temperature before starting!
2. Melting Sugar – This process can get a little tricky, but the best option is to just let it be. Place the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. After about 8 minutes, pools of caramelized melted sugar will start to appear. Gently whisk to ensure all of the sugar melts at the same rate.
3. Don’t Panic! – After adding the butter, it may look like the caramel will never come together. Do not fear, just keep going and mix in the cream. At this point, it should start looking like caramel! If for some reason it turns clumpy, keep whisking over low heat for a couple minutes to help smooth it out.

After the caramel is made, it goes to two places:

1. Freezer – Line a plate or small baking pan with parchment paper and pour half of the caramel on top. It will be very liquid, so just pour it into the center and allow it to spread out on its own. It should be at about 1/8 of an inch thick. Freeze until soft but firm. This goes on the brownie batter before baking.
2. Refrigerator – Pour the other half of the caramel in a glass jar and chill. After the brownies are baked and cooled, it will be the perfect thick but pourable consistency.

How to make fudgy salted caramel brownies

This is my go-to brownie recipe that I love to customize to my liking. It always yields a fudgy consistency that isn’t too runny!

So how is this possible? Here are the key ingredients:

1. Eggs – Eggs provide structure because they emulsify the batter (brings together the water and fat molecules). Because of this, these brownie are made with 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk. They’re vigorously mixed with the sugar to further strengthen the emulsification. Not only does this help break down the sugar, but it also leaves the eggs much more open to blending with the butter and dry ingredients.
2. Butter – Rather than oil, butter is used for added flavor and additional structure. As the brownies cool, the butter within the batter will solidify to create a fudgy slice that holds its shape.
3. Dutch Processed Cocoa – This is more-so for flavor, but dutch processed cocoa is much less acidic than traditional unsweetened cocoa. Because of this, these brownies have an incredibly smooth flavor that is further boosted with the addition of coffee.
4. Cooling – Allowing the brownies to cool completely is a crucial step. If they’re sliced into too soon, they’ll fall apart. After the caramel is added on top, chill the brownies for at least an hour. This is the sweet spot, as the brownies are still soft but the caramel is just solid enough to not completely ooze out.

Why is the caramel frozen?

Half of the caramel is frozen so that the brownie batter can be baked with CHUNKS of caramel rather than a pool of caramel. These chunks are what create the holes in the brownies. If the caramel is added when liquid, it will basically just dissolve into the brownie with very little surface disruption.

Are the coffee granules optional?

Technically yes, but for the best flavor I highly recommend using it. Coffee helps bring out the chocolate flavor, transforming these brownies into a gourmet dessert.

What is the best chocolate to use?

The higher the cocoa percentage, the more melty the chocolate. I prefer 70% cocoa for this recipe because it melts into the brownie but is still a bit sweet. I use a Lindt 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar, found in the candy aisle.

How to store salted caramel brownies

Keep the brownies in the refrigerator. The more the brownies cool, the chewier the caramel gets. If you prefer a more melty caramel, just heat a brownie in the microwave for a couple seconds to revive the super fudgy consistency.

The brownies will keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator for about a week.

For more caramel dessert recipes, check out my:

• Salted Caramel Cheesecake
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Snickers Chocolate Caramel Tart
• Caramel Coconut Cream Pie

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make these salted caramel brownies. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

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