These aren’t your average brownies, folks. Loaded with chocolate chips and caramel sauce in the middle, over the top is an understatement. I don’t know about you, but to me, nothing beats the combination of chocolate and caramel. This combo is simply to die for. Drooling yet? Same here! I won’t keep you waiting anymore. Let’s do this.
Caramel Brownies
These caramel brownies are the ultimate indulgence. The brownies themselves are decadent, but what takes it to another level is the combo of chocolate chips and caramel sauce in the middle. The filling makes them even richer, more ooey-gooey, and ridiculously delicious. If you’re wondering if these brownies might be too sweet – they’re not. Instead, they have just the right amazing flavors that will make you crave them again and again. The best part? They’re a snap to make! You won’t even need to make a brownie batter from scratch. A simple cake mix with butter and milk will get the job done. Also, don’t worry about making caramel from scratch. Just melt caramel candies and milk and you’re done.
How to Make Caramel Brownies
This recipe is so easy, it’s impossible to mess up!
- Prep the oven and baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Leave a bit of overhang on the edges so you can lift out the brownies easily. If you don’t have parchment paper or aluminum foil, grease the pan heavily with butter, then dust it with flour.
- Melt the caramels. Place the caramel candies and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Stir them constantly over low heat, until completely melted. You should get a smooth and thick mixture. The caramel sauce shouldn’t be too sticky – if it is, add a little more milk.
- Prepare the brownie dough. Beat together the cake mix, melted butter, and evaporated milk. The mixture will be thick, so it’s best to use an electric mixer.
- Bake the 1st Layer. Divide the brownie dough in half. Press half of it into the bottom of the lined pan. I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup to create a smooth, even layer. Bake the dough for 10 minutes.
- Assemble the brownies. Once baked, top the first layer with chocolate chips, followed by the caramel. Plop dollops of the remaining dough over the caramel.
- Bake. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top layer comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
- Cool. I hate this part, but it’s essential. Lifting freshly baked caramel brownies will end up with a runny mess because both the brownie mixture and the caramel will still be wet. Let the brownies cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Slice. Using a plastic knife, cut the brownies into bars. These brownies are very rich, so you’ll want the slices to be small.
- Serve. Serve them with warm milk or coffee and enjoy!
Ingredients
Caramel Caramel is very finicky and prone to burning, but don’t worry, you won’t have to make the caramel sauce from scratch. For this recipe, you’ll use individually wrapped caramel candies, such as Kraft. You can buy these candies in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Simply melt the caramel candies with evaporated milk on low heat, and voila. You’ll get a smooth sauce that’s just the right consistency – not too sticky, not too runny. You may also find caramel sauce in the grocery, but don’t get that. Store-bought sauces are thin and runny. You’ll want caramel that’s thick and ooey-gooey for these brownies. Evaporated Milk Evaporated milk serves two purposes for this recipe. One, it will saturate the cake mix and create a brownie batter. Two, it’ll add moisture to the caramels, so they melt into a thick mixture. You can also use full-cream milk or heavy cream for this. Cake Mix I like to use chocolate cake mix for this recipe. Any brand works, but I personally prefer Betty Crocker. You can also try other cake mixes, such as German chocolate cake, devil’s food cake, and dark chocolate cake. You can even use yellow cake mix to make blondies. Butter It gives the brownies a rich and buttery flavor and a moist and chewy consistency. For best results, use real butter and not margarine. To melt the butter, just place it in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 1 minute. Chocolate Chips I use semi-sweet for this recipe because the caramel is already sweet. But feel free to suit your taste! Swap or mix semi-sweet with dark, milk, or white chocolate chips for varying levels of sweetness.
Tips for Making The Best Brownies
Line your pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Nothing’s sadder than perfectly baked brownies that are stuck to the pan!
Some recipes will call for greasing it with butter or baking spray, but to be honest, it doesn’t work all the time. Lining the pan is the absolute easiest way to remove the brownies from the pan.
Instead of a thick batter, this recipe makes a brownie dough. That said, you can’t just simply pour it into the pan.
Instead, you’ll have to press half of the mixture into the bottom with your hands. You can use the back of a measuring cup to help make an even layer. You can’t do this for the 2nd layer of brownie dough, though – the melted caramel will make it impossible. So instead, just plop blobs of dough on top of the caramel. It’ll melt and form an even layer once it bakes.
Do not overbake the brownies, or they’ll be more cakey than fudgy. You can perform the toothpick test to check for doneness, but don’t stick it all the way through. The caramel in the middle will obviously be wet.
Instead, just stick the toothpick into the top layer. It should come out dry or with a few crumbs sticking to it.
Can’t get enough of caramel? Double the layer! Once your brownies have cooled, drizzle them with even more caramel. If you’re not a fan of extremely gooey brownies, bake it for 3 more minutes.Cool the brownies completely before slicing. Honestly, this is the hardest part about all this. Even if you try to slice them early, you’ll only end up with a runny mess.
It’ll take several hours, but chilling them in the fridge will speed things up a bit.
Sprinkle the brownies with flaky sea salt to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate and caramel. Cut the brownies with a plastic knife for smooth slices.
How to Store Caramel Brownies
These caramel brownies will keep well for up to a week. Wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and leave them at the counter or in a cool place. If you live in a warm place, it’s better to refrigerate the brownies. Just warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving, so the caramel gets chewy and ooey-gooey. You can also bake a huge batch of brownies and freeze them. That way, you can have a piece anytime a craving strikes. Double wrap individual brownies with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place them in a freezer-safe bag, squeeze out as much excess air as possible, and seal. Label the bag accordingly. Frozen caramel brownies will keep well for up to 4 months. Thaw the brownies at room temperature and microwave them for a few seconds before serving.
More Brownie Recipes You’ll Love
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