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Salted Caramel Gooey Blondie Bars

There is something irresistible about a blondie that sits somewhere between a buttery cookie and a soft, fudgy brownie. Add ribbons of salted caramel to the mix, and you get Salted Caramel Gooey Blondie Bars—rich, chewy, buttery, and packed with contrasting sweet-and-salty flavor.

These bars are especially delicious when the center remains slightly soft while the edges turn golden and chewy. The caramel melts into the blondie batter as it bakes, creating little pockets of buttery sweetness throughout. A final sprinkle of flaky sea salt brings everything together without making the dessert overly sweet.

Why You’ll Love These Blondie Bars

This recipe is designed to be straightforward while still producing bakery-style results.

Soft and gooey center: The bars are intentionally baked just until the center is set enough to hold its shape.
Buttery brown-sugar flavor: Brown sugar gives the blondies their characteristic caramel-like depth.
Salted caramel pockets: Caramel sauce adds richness and a slightly sticky texture.
Chewy golden edges: The edges develop a beautiful contrast to the soft center.
Easy preparation: Everything comes together in one main mixing bowl.
Make-ahead friendly: Once cooled and stored properly, the bars stay delicious for several days.

Ingredients

For the Blondie Batter

½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
½ cup (90 g) white chocolate chips, optional

For the Caramel Layer

½ cup (120 g) thick caramel sauce
1 tablespoon heavy cream, if needed to loosen the caramel
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for finishing

Tip: Use a thick caramel sauce rather than a very thin caramel topping. A thicker sauce is easier to swirl into the batter and is less likely to disappear completely during baking.

Step-by-Step Method

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 paper hanging over two sides. These overhanging edges will act as handles later, making it much easier to lift the finished blondies from the pan.

Lightly grease the parchment and the exposed sides of the pan.

For particularly gooey blondies, avoid using a pan that is significantly larger than recommended. A larger pan will spread the batter more thinly and can cause the bars to bake too quickly.

2. Melt the Butter

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

You don’t want the butter to be extremely hot when it meets the egg, so allow it to cool for a few minutes after melting.

Melted butter is important here because it contributes to the dense, chewy texture that makes blondies different from fluffy cakes.

3. Combine the Sugars and Butter

Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl.

Add:

Brown sugar
Granulated sugar

Whisk until the butter and sugars are thoroughly combined.

The mixture will look glossy and slightly thick. Don’t worry if the sugar isn’t completely dissolved—that’s perfectly fine.

The brown sugar is particularly important because its moisture helps keep the finished blondies soft.

4. Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Add the whole egg and egg yolk to the butter mixture.

Whisk until smooth, then add the vanilla extract.

The additional egg yolk gives the blondies richness without introducing too much extra moisture from another egg white. This helps create a dense, tender interior.

Whisk just until everything is incorporated.

5. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine:

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Fine salt

Stir them together so the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed.

This small step helps prevent pockets of salt or baking powder from ending up in individual parts of the blondie.

6. Combine the Wet and Dry Mixtures

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl containing the butter and sugar mixture.

Using a spatula, gently fold everything together.

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

Do not overmix.

Overmixing can develop too much gluten and make the blondies firmer and less tender. The finished batter should be thick and scoopable rather than runny.

If you’re using white chocolate chips, fold them in at this stage.

7. Create the First Layer

Transfer roughly half of the blondie batter to the prepared pan.

Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread it into an even layer.

Because the batter is thick, it may take a little patience to spread it across the pan. Don’t press it down aggressively; simply work it toward the corners.

8. Add the Salted Caramel

Warm the caramel sauce slightly if it is too thick to spread.

If necessary, stir in about a tablespoon of heavy cream to loosen it.

Spoon about half of the caramel over the blondie layer, leaving small gaps between portions rather than spreading it completely to the edges.

Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the caramel.

The combination of caramel and salt is what gives these blondies their distinctive flavor. The salt doesn’t simply make them salty—it helps balance the sweetness and makes the caramel taste deeper.