Salted Caramel Brownies from Scratch

These salted caramel brownies from scratch are rich, fudgy, and swirled with gooey caramel. A deep chocolate base with ribbons of homemade salted caramel baked right in, finished with flaky sea salt on top — the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and chocolatey. Bakery-worthy results from your own oven.

Why You’ll Love It

• Fudgy, not cakey. Dense, rich, and deeply chocolatey.
• Gooey caramel swirls. In every single bite.
• Sweet-salty balance. Flaky sea salt cuts through the richness.
• From scratch, still easy. One bowl, simple ingredients.
• Crowd pleaser. They disappear fast.

Why It Works

The fat-to-flour ratio keeps these brownies dense and fudgy instead of cakey. An extra egg yolk adds richness, thick caramel swirls stay ribboned through the batter without sinking, and flaky salt on top enhances both the chocolate and caramel flavors.

Key Ingredients

• Chocolate: 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped.
• Butter: 1 cup unsalted butter.
• Sugars: 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar + 1/2 cup packed brown sugar.
• Eggs: 3 large eggs + 1 yolk, at room temperature.
• Flour: 1 cup all-purpose flour.
• Cocoa: 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Caramel: 3/4 cup thick salted caramel sauce.
• Sea salt: 1 tsp flaky sea salt for topping.

Tips for the Best Brownies

• Don’t overbake — a toothpick should come out with moist crumbs.
• Cool completely before cutting for clean slices.
• Use a parchment sling to lift the brownies out of the pan easily.

Variations

• Nutty: Fold in a cup of chopped walnuts.
• Espresso: Add 1 tsp espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
• No caramel: Skip the swirl — they’re still great.

What to Serve With

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or alongside coffee or a cold glass of milk.

Storage

To store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Why did my brownies turn out cakey instead of fudgy?
They were likely overbaked, or a little too much flour was added. Pull them from the oven when the center still looks slightly underdone.

Why did my caramel sink to the bottom?
The caramel was too thin. Use a thick salted caramel sauce so it stays swirled through the batter.

How do I cut clean slices?
Cool the brownies completely (about 2 hours), then cut with a hot, dry knife, wiping between cuts.

Related Recipes

• Cream Cheese Frosting Without Butter
• Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf with Glaze
• Peanut Butter Cookies (3 Ingredients, Flourless)
• Fudgy One-Bowl Brownies

Salted Caramel Brownies from Scratch

Rich, fudgy brownies from scratch swirled with gooey salted caramel and finished with flaky sea salt.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 16

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the Brownies:

• 6 oz dark chocolate chopped
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 3 large eggs + 1 yolk room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Caramel Swirl:

• 3/4 cup thick salted caramel sauce
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment.
2. Melt chocolate and butter together until smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Whisk in both sugars until combined.
4. Whisk in eggs, yolk, and vanilla.
5. Fold in flour, cocoa, and salt until just combined.
6. Pour batter into the pan. Dollop caramel over the top and swirl with a knife.
7. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
8. Bake 30–35 minutes until edges are set but the center is slightly jiggly.
9. Cool completely in the pan (about 2 hours) before cutting into 16 squares.