The Story
If there’s one thing I’ve become infamous for among my friends and family, it’s my tendency to overthink absolutely everything. I mean, everything. From deciding what to wear to what movie to watch, I can spend ages weighing every possible option before finally making a decision. It’s like I get caught in this endless loop of “what ifs,” even though deep down I know the answer really doesn’t matter that much.
This overthinking spills into my baking, too. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood in the kitchen, debating over which recipe to make, stressing over whether people will prefer chocolate or vanilla, or wondering if my cookies will be too soft or too crunchy. One time, I even scrapped an entire batch of cookies halfway through because I wasn’t sure if the dough was mixed just right. The truth is, I’ve learned that sometimes, the best thing you can do is just trust yourself and go with it.
That’s exactly what happened the first time I made these salted caramel brownies. I had spent so much time planning to bake something fancy, something that would wow everyone, but I was getting overwhelmed by all the ideas swirling in my head. Finally, I realized I needed to stop overthinking and just bake something simple—something that always hits the spot. Enter: brownies. But not just any brownies. I wanted to take it up a notch, so I added a swirl of homemade salted caramel. The result? Pure gooey, chocolatey perfection. No overthinking needed, just a little creativity and trust in the process.
Ingredients:
- For the Brownies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For the Salted Caramel:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
1. Make the Salted Caramel:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the sugar, stirring constantly until it turns a deep amber color. Stir in the butter until fully melted, then slowly add the heavy cream while continuing to stir. The mixture will bubble up—keep stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sea salt. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8x8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
3. Make the Brownies:
In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined—don’t overmix!
5. Layer the Caramel:
Pour half of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle half of the salted caramel over the batter, swirling it gently with a knife. Pour the remaining brownie batter on top, followed by another drizzle of the salted caramel. Use the knife to create a swirl pattern.
6. Bake:
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the brownies cool in the pan before slicing.
Tips:
- If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought caramel sauce instead of making your own, but trust me, homemade caramel takes these brownies to the next level.
- To get that perfect swirl, make sure your caramel is cool but still pourable before adding it to the brownie batter.
- For an extra indulgent touch, sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top of the brownies just before serving.
Enjoy,
Lauren