Salted Caramel Brownies
intro
Rich, ultra-fudgy dark chocolate brownies swirled with buttery homemade salted caramel, finished with flaky sea salt for a perfect sweet-salty balance.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep Oven and Pan
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 5cm (2-inch) overhang on two opposite sides to use as handles for lifting finished brownies out. Lightly grease the exposed parchment with a thin swipe of softened butter.
Melt Chocolate Base
Combine chopped 70% dark chocolate and 113g (1/2 cup) cubed unsalted butter in a heatproof glass bowl set over a small saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler setup, ensure the bowl does not touch the water). Stir constantly with a silicone spatula over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until fully melted and glossy smooth, then remove the bowl from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
Mix Brownie Batter
Whisk 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar into the cooled melted chocolate mixture until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Add 3 room-temperature large eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously for 30 seconds after each addition to create a shiny, thick batter. Stir in 5ml (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract, then fold in 65g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour, 20g (3 tablespoons) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and 1g (1/4 teaspoon) fine table salt with a spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain — do not overmix, as this creates tough, cakey brownies.
Cook Salted Caramel
Heat 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula as the sugar melts into liquid. Once the melted sugar reaches a deep amber color (170°C / 340°F on a candy thermometer, 5-7 minutes total cook time), carefully pour in the warmed 60ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream — the mixture will bubble vigorously, so stand back to avoid hot splatters. Stir for 1 minute until smooth, then remove from heat, stir in 28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter and 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, and set aside to cool for 8 minutes.
Layer and Swirl Batter
Pour 2/3 of the finished brownie batter into the prepared parchment-lined pan, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula to fully cover the pan bottom. Drizzle 3/4 of the cooled salted caramel over the batter base in a loose zig-zag pattern, leaving a 1cm (1/2-inch) border around the pan edges to prevent caramel from burning during baking. Dollop the remaining 1/3 of brownie batter in tablespoon-sized spoonfuls over the caramel, then drizzle the remaining caramel on top. Run a wooden skewer through the layers in a loose figure-8 pattern to create marbled swirls, taking care not to scrape the pan bottom.
Bake and Finish Brownies
Place the pan on the middle rack of the preheated 175°C (350°F) oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the edges are fully set and the very center is slightly jiggly (a toothpick inserted 2cm / 1 inch from the edge should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs, not wet batter). Remove the pan from the oven, immediately sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt evenly over the top, and let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for 45 minutes before lifting out via the parchment overhang and cutting into 9 equal squares.
Tips
2.Use room-temperature eggs for the batter: cold eggs will shock the warm melted chocolate, causing it to seize and create lumpy, unevenly textured brownies.
3.Never leave cooking caramel unattended: melted sugar goes from perfectly golden amber to burnt and bitter in as little as 20-30 seconds, so watch the color closely once the sugar starts to melt.
OMG these brownies were the star of my kid’s soccer team potluck last weekend! The fudgy center with that salty caramel swirl? Every parent asked for the recipe. I did add an extra pinch of flaky sea salt on top because we’re obsessed with that sweet-salty vibe, 10/10 no notes.
SO good. I’ve tried like 4 different salted caramel brownie recipes and this is the only one that actually gets that perfect fudgy, not cakey, texture. Baked them for my roommate’s birthday and she cried a little, no joke.
Wait, I messed up the first batch because I overbaked them (left them in 10 extra minutes because I was grinding a Valorant match oops) and they were still way better than the boxed brownies I usually make. Gonna try again this weekend and actually set a timer this time lmao.
Made these for our family Sunday dinner and even my super picky father-in-law who ‘doesn’t like sweet stuff’ went back for a second square. I used store-bought caramel because I didn’t have time to make homemade, and it still slapped. Will be making these for our next cookout for sure.
Swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free baking blend and these turned out PERFECT. No weird gritty texture, super fudgy, the caramel didn’t sink to the bottom. So happy I found this recipe, I’ve been craving a good GF brownie forever.
Brought these in for my team on casual Friday and the pan was gone in 12 minutes. People were literally scraping the edges of the pan. The only complaint was that I didn’t make a double batch. Oops?
These are so rich! I cut them into tiny 1-inch squares instead of big slices and that was the perfect serving size, because even a little bite satisfies that chocolate craving. Great for meal prep sweet treats for the week too, they hold up really well in the fridge.
Help! I followed the recipe exactly but my caramel sank all the way to the bottom of the pan and turned into a sticky hard mess when it cooled. What did I do wrong? I was so excited for these :(
Made these for our weekly horror movie night with friends and my two kids begged for extra squares before we even hit play. We ate half the pan while we were waiting for the movie to start. The salt cuts the sweetness so perfectly, you don’t get that cloying sugar overload you get from regular brownies. Obsessed.
These sold out in 10 minutes at my daughter’s 8th grade bake sale! We charged $3 a square and made $72 just from these brownies. All the other parents were asking where I got the recipe, obviously I sent them here. Total game changer for fundraisers.
Has anyone tried adding espresso powder to the brownie batter? I usually add a teaspoon to my chocolate bakes to amp up the chocolate flavor, wondering if it would mess with the caramel vibe here.
I was worried these wouldn’t hold up for meal prep but I stored them in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days and they were still just as fudgy as day one. Perfect little sweet treat to grab after work when I don’t have the energy to bake midweek.
Made these for my friend’s Halloween party over the weekend and added little candy eyeballs on top for spooky season. They were such a hit, people were taking photos of them before they even ate em. The fudgy texture is unmatched, honestly.
Made these with vegan butter and coconut cream caramel for my dairy-free kiddo and they turned out amazing! You literally can’t tell they’re dairy free, my husband who hates all vegan food ate three squares before I told him they were vegan lmao.
As someone who burns literally everything I bake, I cannot believe I pulled these off! The instructions were so clear, I didn’t even have to Google anything. The medium difficulty rating scared me a little at first but it was totally doable even for a disaster baker like me.
Took these to our college football tailgate last Saturday and they got passed around the whole parking lot. Guys were coming up to our tent asking for more after their friends gave them a bite. Way better than the usual beer and chips spread we usually have.
I used 70% dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet and it was chef’s kiss. Cut the sweetness a little more, let the salted caramel really shine. If you’re a dark chocolate person this is the move, trust me.
Made these for a date night in with my partner and they said it was better than the $12 brownie we got at that fancy dessert place downtown for our anniversary. Win for home baking! Saved so much money too.
I was skeptical that these would actually be fudgy because so many ‘fudgy brownie’ recipes turn out cakey for me, but these? They’re so dense and chocolatey, the caramel layer is perfectly gooey, the salt on top makes every bite perfect. I’ll never use another brownie recipe again.
Testing recipes for my annual Christmas cookie platter (yes I start early, don’t judge) and these are definitely making the cut. They’re sturdy enough to stack on a platter, they taste incredible, and they look fancy with the caramel swirl and flaky salt. No one will believe how easy they are to make.