With just 15 minutes of prep time and one bowl, you can make some chewy Caramel Bars. They’re super quick and easy to make, and they’re made with basic pantry staples for a simple yet sweet dessert. Once the bars are baked, they’re topped with a broiled caramelized topping for a rich caramel flavor.
Made-From-Scratch Caramel Pecan Bars
These caramel pecan bars are like cookie topped with pralines. They’re made with a basic batter of flour, sugar, and eggs, baked and then brown sugar and pecans are caramelized on top.
Whenever you need a quick and simple dessert for parties, potlucks, or simply sharing with friends and family, you can’t go wrong with these caramel cookie bars. Reminiscent of a Southern praline, the topping is so simple to make.
First, you bake the cookie base and then add the brown sugar mixture to the top and place it under the broiler, where it caramelizes, adding a a sweet caramel flavor to the bar.
They’re much easier to make then cookies but still have a slightly chewy interior with a crispy topping. They aren’t gooey like a carmelita or toffee bar, but they still have that brown sugar caramel flavor and you don’t have to make a caramel sauce.
This is a dessert recipe that is great for someone who is just starting to bake. It doesn’t take any fancy equipment, just one bowl and a baking pan. The only thing that could go wrong is if you leave them under the broiler too long. If you’re new to baking, just leave the oven door open a crack at the end to make sure they don’t burn.
Why You’ll want to Make These Cookie Bars
- Simple: These caramel bars use basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- Soft yet crunchy: The base is soft and chewy, while the topping adds the perfect amount of crunch.
- Quick: These bars come together in less than 40 minutes, making them perfect as a quick treat.
Grab Your Ingredients
- Pantry staples: You’ll need granulated sugar, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Pecans: to get that praline like flavor, you need chopped pecans.
- Cream: Heavy cream helps create the caramelized topping.
How to Make Caramel Bars
Step One: Mix the Batter
Combine the sugars and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and pecans until everything comes together into a thick batter.
Step Two: Bake the Bars
Pour the batter into a lined baking pan and bake in the oven until it forms a golden brown crust on the edges.
Step Three: Make the Topping
While the bars are baking, melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl and mix it with brown sugar, cream, and pecans to create a rich caramel topping.
Step Four: Broil the Topping
Spread the topping mixture over the hot bars and broil briefly until the top is bubbly and golden.
Step Five: Cool and Slice
Let the bars cool completely before cutting into squares to enjoy their chewy, caramel goodness. Once cool the top will get all crackly.
Things to Note
- Room temperature: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to help them incorporate more easily into the batter.
- Broil: The caramel topping can burn quickly under the broiler, so stay close and watch it carefully for those perfect bubbly edges.
- Cool: Let the bars cool thoroughly before slicing to ensure clean cuts and a chewy texture.
Customizations and Swaps
- Salt: Sprinkle a touch of flaky sea salt over the caramel topping before broiling.
- Nut-free: Replace pecans with shredded coconut or omit them entirely for a nut-free version.
- Spice: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the bar batter for a warm, spiced flavor.
- Chocolate: Add chocolate chips to the batter to make chocolate chip bars.
Storage
Once the bars are cooled and cut, pop them into an airtight container and store them on the counter for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Just make sure to thaw them on the counter before eating.
Ingredients
Bars
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cream
- ⅓ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir just until incorporated. Stir in 1/2 cup of pecans and pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Remove and turn the oven to broil. Immediately add the topping, spreading over the hot bars. Return to the oven and broil about 6 inches from the top for 1-2 minutes until the topping is bubbly. Cool completely before cutting.
Topping:
- While the bars are baking, melt butter in a measuring cup in the microwave. Add brown sugar and cream and whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of pecans.
Notes
- Watch these closely once they are under the broiler, broilers can vary so the time may be longer or shorter.
