Caramel Brownie Recipe

These caramel brownies are intensely fudgy with swirls of salted caramel throughout. What happens when Irish coffee meets a milk chocolate brownie packed with caramel? Pure bliss!

Caramel brownies make you want to stop everything you’re doing, close your eyes and take in the layers of texture: creamy, fudgy, and chewy! A gooey milk chocolate brownie topped with a milk chocolate Baileys ganache, swirls of thick salted caramel sauce in the batter and on top. It’s a dessert-meets-cocktail experience in every bite!

These brownies are messy to eat, but who cares when there is all that double chocolate, Baileys, caramel goodness in one package?! If you’re looking for something calmer but brownie, go for a brownie cookie. If you need something caramel but controlled, head to my sticky toffee pudding. But if you want the power of a milk chocolate brownie cranked up a few notches, you’re in the right place!

Professional Tips for Caramel Brownies

• Metal baking dishes bake more evenly. A ceramic or glass baking pan will still create a beautiful and gooey texture, but the metal will help you get that top flaky crust!
• Sift the dry ingredients. Cocoa powder has a tendency to clump. Once in the batter, clumps can be a hassle, and you will risk over mixing!
• Make the caramel sauce in advance. The key to getting the caramel to stay as a swirl and not disappear into the batter is making sure that it is the right pourable consistency. It should not be so hard that it doesn’t flow at all. Making the caramel in advance will ensure it is at the right temperature.

Ingredients

• Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt in the brownie. Every brand has a different amount, which makes adjusting the recipe difficult.
• Heavy Cream: The heavy cream is here for flavor and texture in the ganache. Some bakers use sweetened condensed milk, but I save that for my 7 layer bars! 
• Milk Chocolate
• Vanilla Extract
• Kosher Salt
• Granulated Sugar: The sugar is here for sweetness, but the sugar ratio is also essential for texture and that signature crinkly top.
• Instant Coffee
• All-Purpose Flour: There is just enough flour in these brownies to pull together a batter. This ratio helps to create the perfect brownie texture.
• Cocoa Powder: I like to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in these and my banana brownies to add a more robust and round chocolate flavor.
• Large Eggs: Whole eggs add fat, moisture and leavening. They also emulsify the batter, which helps create a tender texture.
• Baileys Irish Cream: The Baileys in the ganache is not cooked. The alcohol will still be present in the frosting. You can also substitute heavy cream and vanilla extract for an alcohol-free version.
• Salted Caramel Sauce: You can make these brownies with my homemade caramel sauce or use store bought!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Did someone say SWIRL? We already have a bit of a caramel swirl going. But, you could also swirl in Nutella or a jam of your choosing! Pipe or dollop them on top of your brownie batter and swirl them in with a toothpick or butter knife.
• Add any mix-ins or toppings you want. We have made these brownies with M&M’s, semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped Reese’s, Reese’s pieces, walnuts, and pecans. Sometimes I add a touch of sea salt on top, or coconut like for german chocolate cake mix (or more specifically, german chocolate cupcakes!). You can add them into the batter before baking or sprinkle them over the top!
• Infuse the caramel sauce. This is ideal for adding flavors like whole cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean pods (spent), or other unexpected spices. I usually make the sauce, add the spice or vanilla bean, and reheat both together. I then remove it from the heat and cover to infuse. Taste as you go because some spices can be more overpowering than others.

How to Make Caramel Brownies

Follow these instructions for the best caramel brownies of your life. Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Make Brownies:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 8×8 baking dish with parchment.

Step 2: Whisk together in a medium bowl the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: For your butter, It helps to cut it into cubes. This is so you can melt butter evenly and quickly! Place butter and 2 ounces chocolate in a microwave safe, large bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals on high power, stirring after each interval, until chocolate is smooth.

You can brown the butter for extra nutty flavor before melting it with the chocolate. Brown it over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula. When you see golden flecks and smell a toasty aroma, it’s ready. Pour over the chocolate and stir until melted. For more information, check out my brown butter brownies!

Step 4: Add sugar and instant coffee to the melted chocolate mixture, whisking to combine. Add the vanilla and egg, whisking until completely incorporated and smooth.

Step 5: Stir the cocoa mixture into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Fold in the remaining chocolate.

Step 6: Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the batter to the edges with a spatula. Drop dollops of salted caramel into the batter. I did about 16, and then swirl with a bamboo skewer. The caramel should be thick, like cooling lava. If it’s too runny, it may soak into the batter instead of swirling.

Mine weren’t pretty. Beauty doesn’t matter because you are going to smother them in ganache!

Step 7: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is set. Do not overbake. Look for a crackly top and slightly puffed center. The caramel will make it difficult to test doneness, but the edges should be set.

I would not suggest baking them for a total time of more than 35 minutes.

Make the Bailey’s Milk Chocolate Ganache:

Step 8: Melt chocolate and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until mixture is smooth. Stir in the Bailey’s and whisk until smooth.

Assemble the Brownies:

Step 9: Let brownies cool for 10 minutes before pouring ganache over the top. Smooth the ganache to the edges with an offset spatula.

If your kitchen is warm or you’re short on time, pop the pan into the refrigerator. This will help the ganache set more quickly.

Step 10: Let cool completely before cutting. This took me 2 hours in the refrigerator and the middles were still not cooled. They taste super amazing no matter what temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

Did you love the Baileys ganache? Celebrate more Irish flavors with these St Patrick’s Day cupcakes, this Guinness chocolate cake, or go savory with Irish soda bread.