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Irresistible Tasty Gooey Caramel Bars You Have To Try

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Learn how to make delicious Tasty Gooey Caramel Bars. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14-ounce) bag of soft caramel candies, unwrapped
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk (for melting caramel)
  • Optional: 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts for a bit of crunch

If you don’t have brown sugar on hand, you can substitute with an equal amount of white sugar plus a tablespoon of molasses for that deep caramel flavor. For a gluten-free twist, try swapping the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend—just be sure it contains xanthan gum to hold everything together.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter. Line the dish with parchment paper if you want easy cleanup and perfect edges.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy—about 3 to 4 minutes. I always remember Mama Lu’s advice here: “Make sure it’s creamy, like the clouds before a mountain rain.”
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until combined. Overmixing is like wearing boots in the mud—it just doesn’t feel right.
  5. Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Use your hands to gently spread and press it down—it should have a slightly sticky texture but hold together.
  6. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the caramel candies with the heavy cream, stirring frequently until smooth and glossy. If you want to make it extra special, add a pinch of sea salt here to balance the sweetness.
  7. Pour the melted caramel evenly over the crust layer in the baking dish. If you’re using nuts, sprinkle them evenly over the caramel now.
  8. Break the remaining dough into small chunks and scatter them over the caramel layer. Don’t worry if it looks uneven—that’s part of the charm and gives you that delightful gooey texture.
  9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the caramel is bubbling around the edges. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick inserted into the dough layer (not the caramel) comes out mostly clean.
  10. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This step is key—like Mama Lu always said, “Patience is the secret ingredient in any good dish.” Once cool, lift the bars out using the parchment paper, then cut into squares.

Find it online: https://claracooking.com/tasty-gooey-caramel-bars/