Sinful Bars
Indulge in pure decadence with these irresistible Sinful Bars, a dessert that lives up to its name! Featuring layers of buttery, crumbly shortbread, gooey caramel, and melty semi-sweet chocolate chips, these bars are crowned with a golden crumble topping and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the ultimate sweet-and-salty experience. Perfectly balanced and irresistibly rich, this recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare, with just 20 minutes of prep time and a total bake time under 30 minutes. Whether you’re serving them at a party, sharing them as a thoughtful homemade gift, or keeping them all to yourself (no judgment here!), these decadent treats are guaranteed to impress. Keywords: Sinful Bars recipe, caramel chocolate bars, easy dessert bars, decadent treat, sweet and salty dessert.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 12 ounces soft caramels
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the base layer. Reserve the remaining dough for the topping.
Bake the base layer for 10-12 minutes, or until it’s just set and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
While the base cools, place the unwrapped soft caramels and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after each, until the caramels are fully melted and smooth.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the partially baked crust, then pour the melted caramel mixture over the top, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Crumble the reserved dough over the caramel layer to form the topping. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
Bake for another 15-18 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan.
Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into 16 equal squares, and enjoy the gooey, chocolaty goodness!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
5652 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 202.5 g | 260% | |
| Saturated Fat | 120.3 g | 602% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 312 mg | 104% | |
| Sodium | 3892 mg | 169% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 963.6 g | 350% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25.2 g | 90% | |
| Total Sugars | 658.8 g | ||
| Protein | 53.9 g | 108% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 361 mg | 28% | |
| Iron | 21.2 mg | 118% | |
| Potassium | 954 mg | 20% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
