Description
Delight in these buttery Butterfinger Caramel Bars featuring layers of sweet, crunchy Butterfinger candy, rich caramel, and a smooth chocolate topping. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with a combination of textures and flavors baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Caramel Filling
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup caramel candies, unwrapped
Additional Layers and Topping
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup crushed Butterfinger candy bars (divided into 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup)
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bars later.
- Cream the dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Mix dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix until the dough is crumbly and fully combined.
- Assemble the bottom layer: Press two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, creating a uniform base layer. Reserve the remaining one-third of dough for the topping.
- Bake the base: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the base is lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Prepare the caramel filling: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the cubed butter and caramel candies together, stirring constantly until smooth and fully melted.
- Combine with condensed milk: Add the sweetened condensed milk to the melted caramel mixture and continue stirring until everything is fully combined and slightly thickened.
- Layer the bars: Pour the warm caramel mixture evenly over the baked base. Immediately sprinkle 1/2 cup of crushed Butterfinger candy bars over the caramel layer.
- Add the topping dough: Crumble the reserved one-third dough evenly on top, covering most of the caramel and Butterfinger layer.
- Bake the assembled bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbly.
- Add the chocolate topping: Remove the bars from the oven and while still hot, sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the top. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes to soften.
- Spread the melted chocolate: Using a spatula, spread the softened chocolate chips evenly over the bars. Then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of crushed Butterfinger candy bars on top for extra crunch and flavor.
- Cool and serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan at room temperature, or chill them in the refrigerator to set faster before cutting into 12 servings.
Notes
- Using parchment paper with an overhang makes it easier to lift the bars out of the pan without breaking.
- Make sure to stir the caramel mixture constantly to avoid burning and achieve a smooth consistency.
- For quicker setting, refrigerate the bars after baking and topping with chocolate.
- You can substitute Butterfinger candy with other crunchy candy bars if desired for variation.
- Store any leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
