Clever Housewife

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

by 7 Comments

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Salted Caramel Butter Bars


I realize that I am coming to the end of my Omron Fitness challenge and shouldn’t be baking such yummy things! However, this tasty treat can be blamed on my mother! Yes mom, you heard that right!! Last week I popped on over to my mom’s house to take Bea for some preschool. My mom takes the little girl three days a week, for a couple of hours, to work on preschool. That’s what we call it anyway. Sometimes grandma and Bea shop together, eat breakfast, work on letters and colors, and watch tv. The real highlight for Bea is spending time with grandma. It just never gets old!

This particular day I was dropping Bea off and spotted a buttery looking bar cookie sitting in the kitchen. It was calling my name – honest!  I am a sucker for a buttery crumb topping, on just about anything! At closer look I spotted what appeared to be caramel in the middle of butter heaven. I figured it was awfully sweet of my mom to save me some, so I must have a taste. These Salted Caramel Butter Bars were so delicious and rich! Luckily they are so rich that I couldn’t eat too many. Never mind the fact that they have a pound of butter in them! No, I didn’t just say that!  Between layers of butter and caramel, this chewy sweet treat is sure to be a hit at any gathering! Thank you mom for the little taste of heaven, and the extra pound. 😉

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Recipe from Cookies & Cups.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Clever Housewife
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 1 lb salted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbs vanilla
  • 4 cups flour
  • Filling:
  • 1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
  • â…“ cup milk or cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • 1 Tbs coarse sea salt (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat until creamy.
  3. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
  4. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms. Let’s be honest though, I rarely sift my flour.
  5. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  6. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan, for the crust. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator.
  7. Bake crust approximately 20 minutes, or until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown.
  8. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.
  9. While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling.
  10. To make caramel filling, place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval.
  11. Once the caramel is melted add in your 1/2 tsp vanilla and stir until combined.
  12. Pour the caramel filling over the crust. Now is the time to add that course sea salt, if you choose too. Sprinkle over caramel layer.
  13. Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.
  14. 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 – 30 minutes.
  15. Let cool before cutting into squares.

 

Comments

  3. Susan Harp says

    These look absolutely yummy!!! I will definitely be making these! And I love your story about these! What special times for your daughter and her grandma, something they will treasure forever!

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