Chocolate Caramel Bars

Side view of some sliced caramel chocolate bars.

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Caramel Bars are rich, indulgent treats featuring a smooth layer of creamy caramel and chocolate chips sandwiched between layers of buttery cake mixture. This semi-homemade dessert is the perfect way to satisfy your chocolate and caramel cravings—and it’s sure to be a hit with the whole family!

Course brownies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate caramel bars, semi-homemade dessert

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 303kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the cake layer:

1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup unsalted butter - melted

For the topping:

10 oz. caramel - we use Werther's chewy caramels (or Kraft)
1/4 cup evaporated milk
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add two slices of parchment paper (I cut to fit) to an 8x8 cake pan.
Combine cake mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry cake mix, evaporated milk, and melted butter. Use a spoon to mix well.
1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup unsalted butter
Add cake layer to pan. Add about 2/3 of the cake mixture to prepared pan, pressing it evenly to all sides of pan. Reserve the remaining cake mix for later.
Bake. Bake cake mixture for about 12 minutes.
Melt caramel. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the caramel and evaporated milk over medium-low heat until melted, stirring frequently. Spread mixture over the baked cake mixture, spreading evenly throughout.
10 oz. caramel, 1/4 cup evaporated milk
Add remaining cake mixture and chocolate chips. Then add the remaining 1/3 of the cake mixture by using your fingers to add “dollops” of it on top of the caramel. Finally, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Bake again. Place pan back in the oven and bake for another 20-22 minutes or until done to your liking. (We like them slightly gooey.) Add some sea salt on top of the baked bars to finish.
Cool. Let bars sit in pan for about 30 minutes. Then refrigerate bars for another 30 minutes to set up further. (Or just dig in if you don't care about evenly sliced bars!) Use the parchment paper to lift the caramel bars out of the pan to slice.
Serve. Serve chocolate caramel bars with scoops of your favorite ice cream!

Notes

Store leftover bars in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freeze leftover caramel bars wrapped tightly in cling wrap and placed in a freezer bag for up to three months.

Nutrition