Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars (Printable Version)
Rich chocolate layered with gooey caramel and crunchy mixed nuts for an indulgent homemade treat.
# What You Need:
→ Base
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Caramel Layer
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
09 - Pinch of salt
→ Nut Layer
10 - 1 cup mixed nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts), roughly chopped
→ Chocolate Topping
11 - 7 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter in a bowl until mixture becomes crumbly. Press dough firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes until edges turn lightly golden. Allow base to cool completely.
03 - Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar melts and turns amber-colored. Add cubed butter and stir until completely melted. Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring continuously—mixture will bubble vigorously. Cook until smooth, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt. Let cool for 5 minutes.
04 - Distribute chopped nuts evenly across the cooled shortbread base. Pour warm caramel over the nuts, spreading smoothly to cover the entire surface. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until caramel layer sets.
05 - Melt chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter together using a heatproof bowl set over simmering water or in the microwave using 30-second intervals. Stir continuously until completely smooth and glossy.
06 - Pour melted chocolate mixture over the chilled caramel layer, spreading evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until chocolate is completely firm and set.
07 - Lift the chilled block from the pan using parchment paper edges. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 16 equal bars using a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for clean edges.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The three texture combination of crisp shortbread, chewy caramel, and silky chocolate feels luxurious but comes together faster than youd expect
- These bars keep beautifully in the fridge, making them perfect for last minute guests or midnight cravings
02 -
- Caramel goes from perfect to burned in seconds, so have all your ingredients measured and ready before you start heating the sugar
- A room temperature knife wiped clean between cuts will give you those beautiful clean edges instead of ragged caramel pull backs
03 -
- Let the bars sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for the ideal texture
- Store them between layers of wax paper in an airtight container to prevent sticking