My favorite, easy caramel brownies were given a facelift. Truly a decadent, to-die-for dessert, made with a homemade brownie recipe!

These Homemade Caramel Brownies are even more heavenly than a similar recipe made with a boxed cake mix!

Overhead view of slices Caramel Brownies on a white rectangular tray with a couple of red handled forks

The Best Brownie Recipe with Caramel

I have made caramel brownies totally from scratch and they were fabulous. But most people, including me, would prefer not to mess with making homemade caramel. If it doesn’t get to the perfect temperature, it will ooze out of the brownies and turn your brownies into brownies with caramel sauce! So taking the shortcut of melting packaged caramels with some cream is a heck of a lot more reliable, not to mention easier. That’s what makes these brownies the best.

Layered caramel brownies on a square white plate

Easy Caramel Brownies

It was back in 2011 when I spotted a  vaguely familiar recipe for homemade brownies with a caramel filling. It was my favorite caramel brownies (hooray!), sans nuts (hooray!), made with homemade brownies vs. a cake mix (hip, hip hooray!). I immediately copied the recipe, bought some caramels, and I was ready to go! These got rave reviews all around. Even the hubby, who’s not as enamored with caramel as I am, offered high praise. Try these Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints, too!

Front view of a platter of chocolate caramel brownies on a white serving tray

How Long Do Brownies from Scratch Last?

Not long at my house, but seriously, they can sit out on the counter in an airtight container for about 3 days, then I like to either park them in the refrigerator for a couple more days or place them in the freezer for up to 3 months. My husband keeps track of any brownies in our freezer and will bring one out at the start of dinner so he can have one for dessert.

How Should You Store Homemade Brownies?

To maintain freshness, store your brownies in an airtight container, with a piece of wax or parchment paper between each layer.

Can You Freeze Brownies?

Brownies freeze wonderfully. Either freeze brownies already cut, or freeze the whole slab of brownies. Just wrap well to prevent freezer burn with plastic wrap, then foil. Alternatively, place the cut brownies in an airtight container with parchment between any layers. Defrost your brownies at room temperature a few hours before serving. There are some gourmet brownies that could sweat a little when defrosted, like those with a cream cheese swirl. They’ll still taste great, but maybe not look as perfect as if never frozen.

How Do You Slice Brownies?

I find homemade brownies nicely if they are chilled first. Use a heated, dry knife to help glide through the cold brownies to make a clean cut. Wipe off the knife and reheat if needed between slices. If you want perfect squares, break out the ruler and make marks along the edges to mark where you want to cut. With an 8 x 8-inch pan, I make marks along the sides at two-inch intervals which help guide slicing 16 2 x 2-inch brownies.

Note that when the brownies are loaded with nuts, chocolate chips, etc., it will be more difficult to slice perfectly. Try using a serrated knife to saw through the brownies if needed.

If you love the chocolate caramel combo in these easy caramel brownies, try my Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints, too!

More Brownies from Scratch You’ll Love:

 

Stack of caramel brownies on a square white plate

Caramel Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Yield 24 brownies

A from-scratch version of the famous caramel-filled brownies made with a box cake mix!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 ยฝ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 ยผ cups flour
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 14-ounce bag of caramels, unwrapped (I prefer Werther's Chewy Caramels over other brands. You may need 2 bags to get 14 ounces)
  • โ…“ cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line 9 x 13 pan with non-stick foil or regular foil sprayed with cooking spray.
  2. Melt butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, using 30-second increments, stirring each time till smooth.
  3. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla and whisk till well incorporated. Stir in flour and salt.
  4. Spread half the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
  5. Melt caramels and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, using 30-second increments, checking and stirring each time till smooth.
  6. While still warm, pour caramel over the top of the brownies and spread to cover. If the caramel has cooled, gently reheat it in the microwave.
  7. Top with remaining brownie batter by dropping tablespoons of batter across the caramel then spread to the edges. If the batter has become stiff, very gently reheat it in the microwave. Sprinkle the top of the brownies with chocolate chips and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool completely, then use foil to remove the brownies from the pan. Cut and serve.

Notes

!Adapted from The Pastry Queen via Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 brownie

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 331Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 161mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 1gSugar: 35gProtein: 4g

HOW MUCH DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?

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