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This trick for making The Easiest Salted Caramel Brownies is one you’ll return to again and again! Keep these ingredients on hand for quickly throwing together brownies that everyone will love.
Do you have those recipes that are so simple to make it’s almost embarrassing when people ask you for the recipe because it is not really an actual recipe?
These super easy Salted Caramel Brownies are probably one of the most requested recipes that I make on a regular basis.
My friend Erin calls them my “special brownies” – I’m telling you, if you make them once, you’ll make them again and again!
My favorite easy brownie recipe
I have a confession to make.
I know how great homemade brownies are. After all, I love my Pumpkin Brownies and Tiramisu Brownies. But I think my favorite brownies might actually be these incredibly easy Salted Caramel Brownies.
This recipe is so easy it hardly counts as a recipe at all.
Are you ready to hear my trick? You’re going to need:
- A box of Ghirardelli brownie mix (plus the ingredients listed on the box: water, vegetable oil, and an egg)
- A bag of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares
- Flakey sea salt
That. Is. It.
Yes, my favorite brownies are a boxed brownie mix “fancied up” with some salted caramel chocolates.
Don’t knock ‘em ‘til you try ‘em! I promise they are incredible.
I like to keep a couple boxes of the brownie mix and a couple of packages of the chocolate caramel squares on hand so I can throw these together at the last minute. They’re perfect for taking over to a new neighbor, a friend who just had a baby, or for a last-minute cookout.
How to make salted caramel brownies with a boxed mix
I know you’re going to ask me if you have to use the Ghirardelli brownie mix.
Technically you don’t, but I can’t promise they’ll be as good. I personally think the Ghirardelli mixes are the best brownie mixes. I like to use either the Double Chocolate or the Chocolate Supreme mix.
Mix up the brownie mix according to the package directions. You’ll combine the mix with water, vegetable oil, and an egg until well combined.
Spread half the brownie batter into the bottom of a greased 8×8-inch baking pan. Top with a layer of the chocolate squares. Top with the rest of the batter and bake for about 40 minutes.
As soon as the brownies come out of the oven, give them a light sprinkle of flakey sea salt, then allow them to cool for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving.
Sandwiched between the top and bottom layers of fudgy brownie goodness is a beautiful layer of gooey salted caramel. The little bit of extra salt on top not only looks fancy and decadent, it balances the richness of the brownies really well.
They are seriously so good. And I bet no one will guess they were the easiest brownies to make!
Can you freeze salted caramel brownies?
Brownies are a super easy baked good to freeze because they don’t really lose any of their great fudgy texture even after freezing.
If you made a batch of these Salted Caramel Brownies and want to freeze some of the leftovers, tightly wrap each brownie in plastic wrap or foil, then place the wrapped brownies in a tightly sealed zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy one of the brownies, let it thaw at room temperature. Unwrap it and reheat it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. You could even top it with a scoop of ice cream for a decadent brownie sundae treat!
More super easy dessert recipes
Turning boxed mixes into easy, delicious desserts is one of my favorite tricks. Check out six more of my favorite desserts made using mixes!
Coconut Poke Cake
Funfetti Cookies
Easy Peach Cobbler
Gooey Butter Cookies
Citrus Poppy Seed Cake
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
The Easiest Salted Caramel Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 18-ounce box Ghirardelli Brownie Mix (I use either Double Chocolate or Chocolate Supreme)
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 6.3-ounce bag Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan by lightly greasing, spraying with nonstick cooking spray, or lining with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine brownie mix, water, oil and egg and mix until well combined.
- Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Unwrap the chocolate squares and place them directly onto the brownie batter. You don’t have to use all of them, but I typically put them into the pan pretty tightly. Spoon the remaining batter over the chocolate squares and again, spread the batter evenly to cover the chocolate squares.
- Bake in preheated oven for 39-40 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and lightly sprinkle the brownies with flaky sea salt.
- Allow the brownies to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
I added 250 g plain dark chocolate instead of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate and 225 g golden caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup to add the taste. It was really a lip smacking one. I have also tried your Slimer Cheesecake Parfaits, Its really tasty…I make it often as my son Ryan loves it.
Yesterday I made chocolate brownie…It was also nice. I will share here the link if you want to try it: http://www.nestle-family.com/kids/recipes/english/chocolate-brownies_16607.aspx
Thank you so much, Lynda! I’ll definitely give these a try!
May i know what is this sea salt caramel squares
Hi, Aysh! Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel Squares are a square piece of chocolate filled with caramel. I’ve attached the link to Amazon so you can see. I hope this helps!
I doubled the recipe and overall really good flavor but just a little dry and too cakey for me. I even underbaked them but they really weren’t ooey gooey moist for me like a brownie should be especially with all this decadence.
This recipe looks scrumptious. Will try for the 4th !!
I am going to make these in just a bit. One possible goof, though, because I shopped for what I didn’t have at home, by memory (or in this case, lack there of) I picked up Godiva MILK chocolate salted caramels! But what the heck, I am going to give it a go any way!
I would like to make these for a group with peanut allergies. Do you think that it would be ok to leave out the peanuts?
Jocelyn-
Definitely! I hope you enjoy them – thanks so much for stopping by!
-Jamie
Oh love these! And also, hanging out in pjs all summer long is TOTALLY acceptable!!
These brownies look absolutely gorgeous! Yum!!!
I just tried your brownie!! The flavor and texture are amazing!!! But I just couldn´t get the look like yours. The center of the cake sunk and crackled all thorough. Can you tell me what did I do wrong?? I followed your instructions just exactly as you said! :(
Thanks!!
Pat, you may have over-mixed them. If you incorporate too much air into the batter, it’ll be over-inflated as it starts to bake, and then sink as the air dissipates during baking. This article explains it better: http://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/cooking-questions/why-do-brownies-cave-00420000013028/
– Jamie
I make the worst brownies ever! I just might be the worst baker ever but I can’t wait to improve my stats! This recipe looks foolproof =)