Salted Caramel Blondies (Fudgy Brown-Sugar Bars)

Dense brown sugar blondies swirled with homemade salted caramel — this is the bar that lives right on the line between a cookie and a caramel, all chew and deep toffee sweetness with a crackle of flaky salt on top.

It’s one of the 20 recipes inside our Baking Cookbook, and we’re sharing it in full so you can taste the standard before you buy the book. The hands-on time is short; the trick is all in how you pour the caramel and how early you pull the pan.

Why this recipe works

The batter is built on melted butter and dark brown sugar whisked until glossy, which gives blondies their signature chew instead of a cakey crumb. Dolloping the cooled caramel on top and dragging a knife through in figure-eights keeps distinct ribbons of caramel through the bake, and stopping just shy of fully set lets residual heat finish the center into dense fudge.

Ingredients

Blondie batter

• 170 g unsalted butter, melted
• 220 g dark brown sugar
• 190 g all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

Caramel Swirl

• 150 g granulated sugar
• 60 ml heavy cream, warmed
• 30 g butter, cubed
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Optional Garnish

• Extra flaky salt scattered after baking

Serves 9 · Prep 25 min · Cook 30 min · 340 kcal per serving

Instructions

1. Make the salted caramel. Melt granulated sugar in a dry pan over medium heat until deep amber, about 6 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in warm cream and butter, then stir in salt and cool until thickened but pourable.
2. Build the blondie batter. Whisk melted butter with brown sugar for 2 minutes until glossy, then beat in eggs and 2 tsp vanilla. Fold in flour, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp baking powder until no streaks remain.
3. Layer and swirl. Spread batter into a parchment-lined 20 cm square pan. Dollop cooled caramel across the surface and drag a knife through in figure-eights for a marbled pattern.
4. Bake for a fudgy center. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 28–30 minutes until edges pull away and the center is just set with a faint jiggle. Cool fully in the pan for at least 90 minutes before cutting into 9 squares.

Baking tip

Underbake by 2 minutes for that signature fudgy pull. Blondies continue cooking from residual heat, and a slightly wobbly center sets into dense chew rather than cakey dryness.

Get the full Baking Cookbook

Loved this one? It’s a single recipe from a 20-strong collection of bakes built the same way — clear quantities, exact temperatures, no guesswork. Grab the full Baking Cookbook below.