Salted Caramel Brownies combine a rich fudgy brownie batter made with melted butter, dutch-process cocoa, eggs whisked with brown and granulated sugars for a creamy texture, and bits of chopped dark chocolate stirred in. The batter is swirled with homemade salted caramel that melts into the brownies during baking, creating gooey pockets of sweet and salty delight topped off with flaky sea salt.
You’ll love this decadent dessert because it balances rich chocolate depth with buttery caramel notes and a touch of salt, resulting in a perfectly moist, flavorful brownie with a luscious caramel swirl.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (86g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3.5 oz 70% cocoa dark chocolate, chopped
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
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Make homemade caramel, pour half into a parchment-lined baking pan, freeze; refrigerate the rest.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
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Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
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Vigorously whisk eggs and sugars until pale and creamy.
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Whisk in melted butter, coffee granules, and vanilla.
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Fold dry ingredients and chopped chocolate into wet batter.
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Pour batter into pan, spread evenly.
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Scrape frozen caramel into dollops atop batter; swirl gently with knife.
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Bake 33-35 minutes until caramel creates holes and surface crevices.
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Cool 20 minutes, drizzle reserved caramel into brownie crevices.
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Chill about 1 hour until pan bottom feels cool.
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Sprinkle flaky sea salt before slicing and serving.
Tips for Success
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Whisk eggs and sugars vigorously for light batter.
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Use instant coffee for richer chocolate flavor.
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Chill caramel for easy dolloping and swirling.
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Let brownies cool before drizzling caramel for best texture.
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Sprinkle flaky sea salt for perfect finish.
Delicious Variations
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Swap 70% chocolate for milk or semi-sweet.
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Add chopped nuts for crunch.
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Stir in a splash of bourbon to caramel for warmth.
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Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can caramel brownies be frozen?
Yes, wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight.
Is there a gluten-free version?
Use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
Why swirl caramel instead of mixing in?
Swirling creates pockets of gooey caramel texture and visual appeal.
How long do salted caramel brownies last?
Store airtight up to 4-5 days at room temp or refrigerate longer.
Print
Salted Caramel Brownies
- Total Time: 105 minutes
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
Description
Rich fudgy brownie batter made with melted butter, Dutch-process cocoa, eggs whisked with sugars, and chopped dark chocolate, swirled with homemade salted caramel for gooey pockets of sweet-salty delight topped with flaky sea salt.
Ingredients
2/3 cup (86g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (50g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3.5 oz 70% cocoa dark chocolate, chopped
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Homemade salted caramel (for swirling and drizzling)
Instructions
Make homemade caramel, pour half into parchment-lined pan, freeze; refrigerate rest.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8×8-inch pan with parchment.
Whisk flour, cocoa, salt. Vigorously whisk eggs, sugars until pale.
Whisk in butter, coffee, vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and chocolate.
Pour batter into pan. Dollop frozen caramel; swirl gently.
Bake 33-35 minutes until caramel creates crevices. Cool 20 minutes, drizzle reserved caramel. Chill 1 hour. Sprinkle sea salt.
Notes
Vigorously whisk eggs/sugars 2-3 minutes for fudgy texture.
Freeze caramel before swirling to prevent sinking.
Don’t over-swirl gentle marble effect is best.
Chill completely for clean cuts.
Instant coffee enhances chocolate without coffee flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 24
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: salted caramel brownies, fudgy caramel swirl brownies, gooey salted caramel chocolate brownies, Dutch cocoa brownies, flaky sea salt brownies
