Caramel Brownies Recipe: Easy Fudgy Salted Brownie Mix

Salted Caramel Brownies Recipe

Okay you guys, this caramel brownies recipe is honestly one of my all-time favorite desserts, and I am SO not alone in that — it’s been a fan favorite since 2016! We’re talking rich, fudgy chocolate brownies layered with gooey caramel and finished with a pinch of flaky sea salt on top. Be still my heart. 😍 Whether you want to go full homemade or grab a box of brownie mix from the store, I’ve got you covered with a couple of different methods so literally anyone can make these. Let’s do this!

This Salted Caramel Brownies Recipe has been a fan favorite since 2016. And it has maintained its popularity over the years, because it is SO good and very easy. I’ll walk you through a couple of different ways, step-by-step, to make this crowd-pleasing dessert.

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Ingredients

The Entirely Homemade Version

For the Homemade Caramel Topping

granulated sugar
unsalted butter, cut into pieces
heavy cream
pinch of salt

Click here for the caramel recipe.

For the Brownies

melted butter
semi-sweet chocolate
sugar
eggs, room temperature
flour
cocoa powder
salt
semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredient Modifications

What if I want to make these brownies gluten-free?

You can swap in a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose. Just check the label on your specific brand — different brands behave a little differently, so best results come from using one that’s a 1:1 substitute. Easy recipe win right there!

Can I use a different type of chocolate chips?

Absolutely! Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or semisweet chocolate chips all work beautifully here. For a deeper, rich chocolate flavor I personally love dark chocolate, but honestly use whatever makes your heart happy. You can even fold in a little bit of peanut butter chips if you’re feeling wild — no judgment from me! 😄

Can I add other mix-ins?

Sure thing! Nuts, extra chocolate chips, even caramel bits or chewy caramel candies stirred right into the brownie batter are all amazing. Just make sure the batter is still pourable and you’re golden. Also — if you love the caramel-chocolate combo as much as I do, check out these Chocolate Potato Chip Recipes for another drool-worthy treat!

Ingredients: The Semi-Homemade Version (My Preference)

For the Caramel Topping

Mrs. Richardson’s Caramel Sauce

For the Brownies

melted butter
semi-sweet chocolate
sugar
eggs
flour
cocoa powder
salt
semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredients: The Shortcut Version

For the Caramel Topping

Mrs. Richardson’s Caramel Sauce

For the Brownies

Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix
ingredients as listed on the box

How to Make This Caramel Brownies Recipe Step by Step

Okay, here’s where the magic happens! The good news is that whether you use a homemade brownie recipe or grab a box of brownie mix (hello, Betty Crocker, you reliable legend 🙌), the layering method is exactly the same. Line your baking dish with parchment paper and hit the sides of the pan with a little cooking spray or nonstick spray for easy removal. In a large mixing bowl (or large bowl if you’re going fully from scratch), mix up your brownie batter.

Spread half of the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a rubber spatula. This is your brownie base — your brownie layer foundation, if you will. Then pour your store-bought caramel sauce (or homemade caramel sauce!) over the top as your layer of caramel. For homemade, melt sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in butter over low heat, then whisk in heavy cream. If you want to be precise about it, a candy thermometer helps! For the semi-homemade route, caramel dip or even dulce de leche works beautifully in a pinch — so many options!

Carefully spread the rest of the brownie batter — the remaining batter — on top of the caramel layer. Use your rubber spatula to gently ease the rest of the caramel into place if needed. Pop the whole pan into your preheated oven and bake! The bake time will vary slightly based on your pan size — a 13-inch pan bakes faster than a smaller baking dish — so keep an eye on it. Microwave your caramel mixture in 30-second increments if you need to warm it for easier spreading. Let the pan of caramel brownies cool before cutting with a sharp knife for the cleanest slices. I literally cannot stress that enough — self control, people! 😂

Top Tips for the Best Salted Caramel Brownies

Can we talk about top tips for a second? Because I have THOUGHTS. These are honestly some of the most decadent brownies and gooey caramel brownies you will ever taste — we’re talking best salted caramel brownies territory — and a couple of little tricks make all the difference. First, use room temperature eggs in your homemade brownie recipe for the smoothest batter. Second, don’t skip the flaky sea salt on top of the caramel layer — that is what takes these chocolate caramel brownies from great to absolutely insane. Sprinkle it on right before baking so it sinks in just a little bit. 😍

For an easy recipe shortcut, a box of brownie mix from brands like Betty Crocker or Ghirardelli makes this totally foolproof — those box mixes are seriously underrated! Spreading half of the brownie batter in the bottom layer, adding caramel, then topping with the rest of the brownie batter gives you that gorgeous layered effect every single time. Also — if you want to skip the brownie part altogether sometimes and use a cake mix base, that works too! If you’re a fudgy brownie fanatic like me, also check out my Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies and these Copycat Cosmic Brownies — both are absolute time favorite recipes around here!

How to Cheat: Doctoring Boxed Brownies

✔️ Top the brownie batter with pieces of cookie dough before baking to make Brookies!
✔️ Add mix-ins to the batter before baking — chocolate chips, caramel bits, whatever your heart desires.
✔️ Top the baked brownies with something delicious! I love using Mrs. Richardson’s caramel sauce for this caramel brownie recipe. It is THE BEST and I can usually find it at Target. Serve a warm square with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and I literally can’t even. 🍦

Questions Answered: Brownies

How do you make fudgy brownies from scratch?

The secret ingredient to a good, fudgy brownie with shiny, crackly tops is… melted chocolate.

In actuality, that’s probably oversimplifying it a bit. But if you have to narrow it down to one ingredient, I’d say that’s the one. If we’re going to break this down a little farther, there are a couple of other components you need to take into account. Here are the ingredients that affect the fudginess of a brownie:

✔️ Leavening agents. My very favorite brownie recipes don’t have any baking soda or baking powder, which limits the amount of air in the brownies (air = cake-y).

✔️ Fat-to-Flour ratio. A good, fudgy brownie needs more fat than flour. Which is why using melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder helps so much.

✔️ Chocolate chips. To achieve those beautiful, crackly tops that everyone wants in a brownie, you need to mix chocolate chips into the brownie batter. I don’t know why, but I know that it’s a must.

Can I make these brownies ahead of time?

Yes – brownies are actually a great dessert to make ahead of time! Just bake them according to the recipe instructions, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve. They will last for about a week in the fridge and several months in the freezer.

What is the best way to cut brownies?

Use a sharp knife and cut them into little squares. You can also use an egg slicer for this purpose if you don’t have any other tools available (just press down on each side of the square until it comes out). And don’t forget to wipe your knife off between slices!

Do I need to preheat the oven before baking these brownies?

Yes, you do! You can either turn on your oven when you start mixing together all of the ingredients or set a timer for 15 minutes and then put them in right away (this is what I did). Just make sure that the oven is fully preheated by the time you put the brownies in so they cook evenly!

What kind of pan should I use to bake these brownies?

A square baking pan (either an eight or nine inch one will work) is best for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can also use a round cake pan. Just make sure that the brownies are spread out evenly in the pan so they cook evenly.

What Did I Do Wrong?

My brownies turned out too dry — what happened?

A few things could cause dry homemade brownies: overbaking, an oven running too hot, or older flour. Keep an eye on your bake time and test with a toothpick before pulling them out. An oven thermometer is a total game-changer for best results! Also make sure you’re using melted butter — not softened — in the brownie part of the recipe.

My brownies turned out too gooey — help!

Gooey brownies usually mean underbaking — which, honestly, some people prefer! 😂 But if you want them set up properly, just pop the whole pan back in the oven for 2-3 minutes at a time and check again. Use a wooden spoon to test the texture of the top crust — it should feel set and not jiggly in the center.

What can I do if my brownies are too dense?

Too much flour OR butter that wasn’t fully melted before mixing into the large bowl can both cause dense results. For a fudgy chocolate brownie with a tender crumb, measure carefully and make sure everything is properly incorporated. A medium saucepan on low heat works perfectly for melting butter and chocolate together slowly — don’t rush it on medium heat or you’ll scorch the chocolate! When in doubt, use sweetened condensed milk or golden syrup in your caramel mixture for extra gooey, dreamy results.

Brownie Adjustments

Caramel options — what can I use?

So many choices! Store-bought caramel sauce is my go-to for this easy recipe, but you can also use dulce de leche, caramel dip, or even homemade caramel sauce from scratch. The top of the caramel layer is also a GREAT place to sprinkle flaky sea salt and extra chocolate chips right before baking — so dreamy. And if you’re making this a second time (because trust me, you will!), try swapping in a homemade caramel sauce for an even more decadent result. I also love serving these alongside my Chocolate & Salted Caramel Pie for a full salted caramel dessert spread — total crowd-pleaser situation! 🙌

Can I use a box mix for the first batch?

YES! The shortcut version with a box of brownie mix is one of my favorite desserts to bring to parties because it is so fast and so good. Food Network bakers will tell you homemade is always better, but I’m here to tell you that a great box mix plus a gooey caramel filling makes some seriously decadent brownies. Check the full recipe and recipe card below for all the details — and if you love easy brownie treats, my Brownie Mix Cookies are another must-make!

How to Store Your Brownies

Store your gooey caramel brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or pop them in the fridge for about a week. They freeze beautifully too — just wrap individual squares and freeze for up to three months. Thaw before serving, and honestly, a warm square straight from the microwave (about 2-3 minutes… okay, like 20 seconds 😂) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is pure heaven. I have zero self control. This is one of those homemade brownies recipes you are absolutely going to have to make — like, right now. Go! 💕

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Salted Caramel Brownies

Yield: 9

Fudgy brownies studded with chocolate chips and topped with caramel and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
approximately 10 ounces caramel sauce
flaked sea salt

Instructions

Preheat to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish.

Melt together the butter and the semi sweet chocolate. Let cool slightly.

Stir in the sugar and the eggs. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.

Let cool completely before topping with caramel sauce and sprinkling with sea salt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 647Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 498mgCarbohydrates: 94gFiber: 2gSugar: 75gProtein: 7g