Even though February is the shortest month of the year, it can feel like the longest! The days are cold, the nights are long, and it can start to feel like winter will never end. What better way to beat the winter blues than with a delicious sweet treat that you can make at home!
These salted caramel butter bars have been tested and approved by EC Boston staff and you’ll love them too! Salted caramel is a very trendy flavor lately. You may have seen many different kinds of salted caramel drinks and desserts in Starbucks, but these bars will blow those sweets out of the water!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. salted butter room temp
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbs vanilla OR
- 4 cups flour
- bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
- ⅓ cup milk or cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- *1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)
Recipe:
- Preheat oven to 325°
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
- Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator.
- Bake crust until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.
- While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
- Once the caramel is melted add in your 1/2 tsp vanilla and stir until combined.
- Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.
- Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
- Let cool before cutting into squares.
The recipe can be found here: http://cookiesandcups.com/dont-hate-me-because-im-butter-ful/
Yum!!!! Have a great time baking! These bars can brighten up even the dullest of winter days!