Irresistible Caramel Crumb Bars Recipe: Sweet Bliss in Every Bite

Sweet memories often bloom around a classic caramel crumb bars recipe that whispers comfort from your kitchen.

Buttery layers promise delightful moments of pure indulgence.

Crisp edges and soft centers create a delectable dance of textures.

Nostalgic ingredients blend seamlessly into a dessert that feels like a warm embrace.

Crumbly, golden surfaces hint at the decadent experience waiting beneath.

Delicate aromas will draw everyone closer, anticipating each tender bite.

You cannot resist the temptation of these irresistible bars that melt perfectly on your tongue.

Addictive Caramel Crumb Bars

• Craft a Decadent Dessert: Create a luxurious treat that combines rich caramel, buttery crust, and crumbly topping for a mouthwatering experience that'll impress everyone.
• Master Impressive Baking Skills: Learn a sophisticated technique of making homemade caramel from scratch, elevating your baking expertise with professional-level results.
• Perfect for Special Gatherings: Designed as a show-stopping dessert that works beautifully for potlucks, family celebrations, or when you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary.
• Customize with Ease: Adaptable recipe that allows for personal touches like adding nuts, drizzling extra caramel, or experimenting with different sugar variations to make it uniquely yours.

Ingredients for Caramel Crumb Bars

• Unsalted Butter: The key ingredient that provides richness and helps bind the crumbly base together.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and contributes to the golden color of the base.
• All-Purpose Flour: Creates the primary structure of the bar's base.
• Cornstarch: Helps to create a tender and delicate texture in the base.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the base.

• Granulated Sugar: The foundational ingredient for creating the deep amber caramel sauce.
• Butter: Adds richness and smoothness to the caramel sauce.
• Heavy Cream: Provides a silky and luxurious texture to the caramel.
• Coarse Salt: Balances the sweetness and adds depth to the caramel flavor.

• Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a deeper caramel-like sweetness to the crumble topping.
• Remaining Base Layer Dough: Creates a crumbly and textured top layer for the bars.

Instructions to Bake Caramel Crumb Bars

Step 1: Create Luxurious Caramel Sauce

Melt granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Watch as sugar transforms into amber-colored liquid.

Once completely melted, carefully add butter, which will cause vigorous boiling. Continue stirring until butter integrates smoothly.

Lower heat and whisk in heavy cream until sauce becomes silky. Remove from heat, stir in coarse salt, and let cool completely.

Step 2: Prepare Baking Setup

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring edges hang over for easy bar removal.

Step 3: Mix Base Dough

• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Salt

Mix until dough becomes thick and crumbly.

Step 4: Form Base Layer

Press slightly more than half the dough firmly into prepared pan’s bottom. Refrigerate remaining dough.

Step 5: Bake Initial Layer

Bake base for 20-25 minutes until surface sets and turns golden. Remove from oven and cool for 20-30 minutes.

Step 6: Apply Caramel Layer

Spread ⅔ cup salted caramel sauce evenly over cooled base.

Step 7: Create Crumbly Topping

Mix light brown sugar into remaining dough until crumbly.

Sprinkle mixture over caramel, allowing some caramel to peek through.

Step 8: Final Baking

Return pan to oven, bake 25-30 minutes until topping turns golden and caramel bubbles.

Step 9: Cool and Set

Allow bars to cool completely in pan, which takes at least 3 hours. For faster cooling, refrigerate.

Step 10: Serve Delightful Bars

Use parchment paper edges to lift bars from pan. Transfer to cutting board and slice into desired portions with a sharp knife.

Tips for Gooey Caramel Crumb Bars

• Opt for a heavy-bottomed saucepan when caramelizing sugar to prevent burning and ensure even heat distribution.
• Watch the sugar closely during caramelization, as it can quickly transition from amber to burnt, ruining the entire batch.
• Create a smoother caramel by using room temperature butter and cream, which blend more easily into the hot sugar.
• Chill the bars completely before cutting to achieve clean, precise slices that showcase the beautiful caramel layers.
• Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Variations to Try on Caramel Crumb Bars

• Chocolate Caramel Crumb Bars: Replace caramel sauce with melted dark chocolate mixed with a touch of cream, creating a rich chocolate variation that maintains the original bar's crumbly texture.
• Nutty Salted Caramel Bars: Incorporate chopped pecans or almonds into the crumb topping, adding extra crunch and complementing the salted caramel flavor profile.
• Gluten-Free Caramel Crumb Option: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour blend and almond flour, ensuring those with gluten sensitivities can enjoy these decadent bars.
• Vegan Caramel Alternative: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream, replace butter with coconut oil, and create a plant-based caramel sauce using coconut sugar for a dairy-free version.

Pairing Ideas for Caramel Crumb Bars

• Select sweet, rich dessert wines like Sauternes or late-harvest Riesling that complement the caramel's deep, buttery notes and enhance the bar's luxurious texture.
• Serve with robust espresso or dark roast coffee, which cuts through the sweetness and provides a perfect bitter contrast to the rich caramel layers.
• Enjoy with salted caramel martinis or butterscotch-infused cocktails that mirror the dessert's complex flavor profile and elevate the overall tasting experience.
• Pair with vanilla bean gelato or whipped mascarpone cream to add extra smoothness and create a decadent dessert plate that balances the bar's intense sweetness.

Storage Guidelines for Caramel Crumb Bars

• Refrigerate: Store cooled caramel crumb bars in an airtight container lined with parchment paper between layers. Keeps fresh for up to 5 days when refrigerated at 40°F.
• Freeze: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in freezer-safe container. Freeze for maximum 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before enjoying.
• Room Temperature: Keep bars in sealed container at room temperature for 2-3 days if house temperature remains below 70°F. Ensure container blocks moisture and air exposure.
• Reheating: Warm refrigerated bars in microwave for 10-15 seconds on low power. Alternatively, restore crispness by placing in preheated 325°F oven for 5-7 minutes until slightly warm.

FAQs

• What ingredients make the caramel sauce unique?

The homemade caramel sauce combines granulated sugar, butter, and heavy cream, creating a rich, smooth texture with a deep amber color and enhanced by coarse salt for a complex flavor profile.

• How do I prevent the caramel from burning?

Stir the sugar constantly over medium heat and watch for clumping, then melting into an amber liquid. Once melted, carefully add butter and cream while stirring to maintain control and prevent burning.

• Why is refrigerating the dough important?

Refrigerating helps stabilize the butter in the dough, ensuring a crumbly texture and preventing the bars from becoming too greasy during baking. The chilled dough also helps create a more structured base and topping.

Caramel Crumb Bars Recipe

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4.6 from 33 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 9 1x

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Description

Silky caramel crumb bars blend buttery shortbread with rich caramel in a classic dessert. Layers of sweet crumble and golden caramel create an irresistible treat you’ll savor with each delightful bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 6 tbsps (84 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsps (22.5 g) cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsps light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) salted caramel sauce

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Instructions

1. Melt granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it transforms into an amber-colored liquid without sugar crystals.
2. Carefully introduce butter into the melted sugar, allowing vigorous boiling while continuously stirring until fully integrated.
3. Lower heat and whisk heavy cream into the caramel mixture until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
4. Remove from heat, incorporate coarse salt, and let the caramel sauce cool completely.
5. Heat oven to 325°F and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, creating side overhangs for easy removal.
6. Blend melted unsalted butter with granulated sugar in a medium bowl.
7. Gradually fold flour, cornstarch, and salt into the butter mixture, creating a thick, crumbly dough without lumps.
8. Press slightly more than half the dough firmly into the pan’s bottom, then refrigerate remaining dough.
9. Bake base layer for 20-25 minutes until surface sets and turns light golden, maintaining oven temperature.
10. Cool base layer for 20-30 minutes to prepare for subsequent layers.
11. Distribute ⅔ cup salted caramel sauce evenly across the cooled base.
12. Mix light brown sugar into remaining dough, creating a crumbly texture, and sprinkle over caramel layer, allowing some caramel to peek through.
13. Bake an additional 25-30 minutes until crumble turns golden and caramel bubbles visibly.
14. Cool completely in pan for approximately 3 hours, optionally expediting process using refrigeration.
15. Extract bars using parchment paper, transfer to cutting board, and slice into desired portions with a sharp knife.

Notes

• Stir sugar constantly and watch carefully to prevent burning, as caramel can quickly transform from perfect amber to bitter black.
• Use medium-low heat when making caramel to ensure smooth, even melting without scorching the sugar.
• Work quickly when mixing dough to keep it crumbly; overmixing will create a dense, tough base instead of a light, tender crust.
• Allow bars to cool completely to let caramel set and flavors meld, ensuring clean, crisp cuts and optimal texture.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 9
• Calories: 333
• Sugar: 33 g
• Sodium: 124 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 38 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 52 mg