Caramel Butter Bars
These crazy delicious Caramel Butter Bars are a heavenly treat that is a cinch to make! You MUST think up an excuse to bake up a batch!
Layered with streusel and caramel over a shortbread crust, these Caramel Bars will thrill the caramel lovers in your life. And they may convert some who aren’t!
Why You Must Make
- If you love caramel desserts as much as I do, please make this caramel dessert ASAP.
- One easy dough is used for both the crust and crumble topping.
- And a half cup of storebought caramel sauce is nestled between those two layers.
Seriously, I could not stop snacking on them!! These caramel butter bars are phenomenal, trust me.With such simple ingredients, it’s important to use a good quality caramel sauce. Look for real ingredients like sugar, cream, and butter on the label. Prepare to be dazzled!
Expert Tips
These caramel cookie bars are about the simplest dessert recipe you can make. If you love caramel, these caramel butter bars are a must-make!
- The same dough is used to make the crust and to crumble over the caramel. Easy peasy. These gems can be made using just one bowl!
- PRO-Tip: If you really want to be precise, you can weigh out the dough so it can be accurately divided into one-third for the crust and 2/3 for the topping, but I just estimated.
- Line your baking pan with non-stick foil so the edges of the bars don’t adhere to the sides of the pan due to the sticky caramel sauce.
- And with a yummy jarred caramel sauce as the filling, there is no messing with a candy thermometer or unwrapping squares of premade caramels. You definitely don’t have to hunt down a specialty caramel sauce. But I do recommend using a premium brand for the best results.
- PRO-Tip: To find a premium brand of caramel, check the ingredients on the label for butter, cream, and vanilla. You want real ingredients for the best caramel flavor!
- Try Salted Caramel Sauce to shake things up. Or just mix some sea salt into your regular caramel sauce to taste.
Everyone needs a recipe that doesn’t take oodles of time or numerous ingredients to throw together. These will thrill any caramel fans in your family…heck, they will thrill anyone you know with a sweet tooth!
How to Make
- Soften the butter at room temperature to make for easier mixing of the dough that’s used for the crust and crumbs.
- Mix the topping ingredients with a hand mixer until well combined.
- Pat 1/3 of the dough into the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust and chill the rest of the crumb mixture while the crust is in the oven.
- Pour the caramel sauce over the warm baked crust. The heat of the crust will help make it easier to spread the caramel over the crust.
- PRO-Tip: Spray your liquid measuring cup with a non-stick cooking spray like Pam before measuring the caramel. It will slide out easily when you pour it over the bars.
- Then Crumble the rest of the mixture over the top of the caramel. PRO-Tip: Use your fingers to pinch together the dough to make some larger crumbs, if you’d like.
- Put the pan back in the oven and Bake as directed, until the filling is bubbly.
- Cool well before slicing into bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
These caramel butter bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Any longer, or if it’s warm in your kitchen, these bars can be refrigerated for about a week.
Yes, these bar cookies freeze well. Make sure they are cool, place in an airtight container with parchment or waxed paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Chill them first. Then place them on a cutting board, using a ruler if necessary, and slice into nice squares. Serve at room temperature.
The ruler is helpful to mark off 2-inch intervals on all 4 sides of the bars before slicing. You can also use the ruler to help guide you in cutting straight lines if eyeballing isn’t your strong suit.
You May Also Like
- Caramel Apple Magic Bars from Brown Eyed Baker
- Homemade Caramels
- Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars
- Chocolate Chip Caramel Butter Bars
- Caramel Chocolate Brownies
- Microwave Caramel Sauce.
- More of my Best Bar Cookies
Caramel Butter Bars Recipe
Simple flavors with delicious results! Perfect for caramel fans!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
For the Filling:
- ½ cup premium jarred caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars till creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour to the butter mixture and mix on low till well combined.
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with non-stick foil (or regular foil, then spray with cooking spray). Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Put the rest of the dough in the refrigerator while the crust is baking.
- Bake crust until slightly golden, about 20 minutes.
- Drizzle the caramel sauce over the crust and let sit for a few minutes before using an offset spatula to carefully spread it over the surface.
- Crumble the reserved dough over the caramel.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden about 25 minutes.
- Let cool before cutting into squares. Place in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process if desired.
Notes
Spray your liquid measuring cup with a non-stick cooking spray like Pam before measuring the caramel.
Use your fingers to pinch together the dough to make some larger crumbs for the topping.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 barAmount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g
96 Comments on “Caramel Butter Bars”
I’m thinking caramel yeast rolls!
Ice cream or eat by the spoon 😉
I think I would eat the Stonewall Kitchen Vanilla Chai Caramel Sauce right out of the jar! It would be great on brownies, too.
These Caramel Butter Bars sound great. I think they will work great in packed lunches. And so easy to make. Right up my alley!
Would love to win! Great giveaway!
On baked apples or apple pie!
I think it would be great over vanilla ice cream.
I would pour it over a giant bowl of vanilla ice cream and then dive in!
Love these bars too!
The most likely thing I would use this on is ice cream, but also drizzled on some chocolate cake or apple crisp.
It sounds so good, I would probably eat the first serving with a spoon! Then I would try this recipe an if there’s any left, I would use it with roasted pecans on a bowl of ice cream!
I LOVE this idea and just bought two jars of caramel from the store, so I am definitely adding this to my to-make list. Though I definitely wouldn’t mind giving that VANILLA CHAI CARAMEL SAUCE a try–it sounds so delectable!
Mmm.. That would be amazing all over vanilla ice cream! The bars look amazing!
such a smart way to use that cool caramel sauce!!! These bars look so gooey and comforting and heavenly!
These bars look incredible and would be the first thing I made with that heavenly sauce!
Oh my gosh, Liz. First of all, these bars look AMAZING. Second, I’d have a really hard time not just eating it from a spoon. I’d try to use it over ice cream or in brownies, though. 😉
I’d pour it over homemade pumpkin ice cream!
Anything apple!
If I won, I think I’d do my best to replicate Ms Liz Berg’s delectable looking caramel butter bars!
This looks so good…so delicious! What a simple idea for something sweet…thanks for sharing!
These look delicious!