Salted Caramel Blondies: A Buttery, Gooey Treat with the Perfect Sweet-Salty Balance

There is something irresistible about a freshly baked blondie: crisp, golden edges, a soft and chewy center, and the rich flavor of brown sugar and butter in every bite. Add ribbons of buttery salted caramel and a delicate sprinkle of flaky salt, and you have a dessert that feels both comforting and indulgent.

These Salted Caramel Blondies are wonderfully simple to prepare but taste like something from a bakery. The brown sugar gives them a deep caramel-like flavor, while the real caramel sauce creates pockets of gooey sweetness throughout the bars. A little flaky sea salt on top keeps the dessert from becoming overly sweet and makes the caramel flavor stand out.

The best part? You don’t need a mixer or complicated techniques. With a few basic ingredients and careful baking, you can make thick, chewy blondies with a beautifully soft center.

Why You’ll Love These Salted Caramel Blondies

These blondies have several qualities that make them especially delicious:

• Chewy and fudgy: The center stays soft and dense rather than cakey.
• Rich caramel flavor: Brown sugar, butter, and caramel sauce work together for a deep, buttery taste.
• Sweet and salty: Flaky salt balances the sweetness beautifully.
• Easy preparation: The batter comes together in one bowl.
• Simple ingredients: Most of what you need is probably already in your kitchen.
• Great for sharing: They can be cut into small squares for parties, gatherings, lunchboxes, or afternoon treats.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Blondies

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
Melted butter gives the blondies a rich flavor and helps create their dense, chewy texture.

1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
Brown sugar provides moisture and gives the blondies their characteristic caramel-like flavor.

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
A little white sugar helps create slightly crisp edges while keeping the center tender.

2 large eggs
Eggs provide structure and help bind the ingredients together.

2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla enhances the buttery and caramel notes.

1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
Flour gives the blondies enough structure without making them dry.

½ teaspoon baking powder
Just enough leavening keeps the blondies from becoming overly dense.

½ teaspoon fine salt
Salt brings out the sweetness and balances the richness of the butter and caramel.

For the Caramel Layer

¾ cup (about 180 g) thick caramel sauce
Use a good-quality caramel sauce with a relatively thick consistency. A very thin sauce can disappear into the batter while baking.

½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for topping
Flaky salt adds little bursts of savory flavor and creates the signature salted-caramel finish.

How to Make Salted Caramel Blondies Step by Step

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Pan

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some parchment hanging over two sides. This creates convenient handles that will make it much easier to lift the finished blondies from the pan.

Lightly grease the parchment if desired.

Why this matters

Blondies are soft and chewy, so they can be difficult to remove from an unlined pan. Parchment prevents sticking and allows you to lift the entire batch out before slicing.

Step 2: Melt the Butter

Place the butter in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl and melt it gently.

If using a saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until completely melted. If using a microwave, heat it in short intervals, stirring between each one.

Let the melted butter cool for a few minutes.

It doesn’t need to become cold, but you don’t want it to be extremely hot when you add the eggs.

Optional flavor upgrade

For an even deeper flavor, you can brown the butter before using it. Cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it develops a nutty aroma and golden-brown milk solids.

If you brown the butter, allow it to cool slightly before continuing.

Step 3: Combine the Butter and Sugars

Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl.

Add:

• Brown sugar
• Granulated sugar

Whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

The brown sugar may initially look slightly grainy, which is perfectly normal. Continue whisking until the butter is evenly distributed.

The mixture should smell rich and caramel-like.

Step 4: Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.

Then stir in the vanilla extract.

At this point, the mixture should look smooth, shiny, and slightly thick.

Don’t over-whisk

You don’t need to whip the eggs like you would for a sponge cake. Excessive beating can incorporate unnecessary air, which may make the blondies more cakey.

For classic chewy blondies, mix just until everything is well combined.

Step 5: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Fine salt

This evenly distributes the baking powder and salt throughout the flour.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.

Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold everything together.

Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see obvious streaks of dry flour.

The key to chewy blondies

Don’t overmix the batter.

Once flour becomes hydrated, mixing develops gluten. Too much gluten development can result in blondies that are tougher and less tender.

Step 6: Build the First Layer

Spread approximately half of the blondie batter into the prepared pan.

Use a spatula to gently spread it into an even layer.

The batter will be thick, so take your time smoothing it toward the corners.

Step 7: Add the Salted Caramel

Warm the caramel sauce slightly if it is very thick. It should be spreadable but not hot.

Dollop about half of the caramel sauce over the blondie batter.

Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to gently spread it.

Sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt over the caramel.

You don’t need a thick layer of caramel. Concentrated pockets and ribbons throughout the blondies create a better texture.

Step 8: Add the Remaining Batter

Carefully spoon the remaining blondie batter over the caramel.

Because the caramel layer underneath is soft, avoid dragging the spatula aggressively across the surface.

Instead, place small spoonfuls of batter across the pan and gently connect them together.

Spread the batter as evenly as possible.

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