• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tara Teaspoon logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast + Brunch
    • Main Dish
    • Pasta
    • Salads
  • Cookbook
  • Newsletter
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Ask Tara
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Statement
  • Shop
    • Checkout
    • Cart
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast + Brunch
    • Main Dish
    • Pasta
    • Salads
  • Cookbook
  • Newsletter
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Ask Tara
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Statement
  • Shop
    • Checkout
    • Cart
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    TaraTeaspoon » Baking + Desserts

    This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure.

    Published: · Modified: Oct 14, 2020 by

    Gooey Caramel Brownies

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Gooey Caramel Brownies stack pin
    gooey caramel brownies square pin
    How to make gooey caramel brownies pin

    Melty caramel and plenty of chocolate make these gooey caramel brownies irresistible. Make them salted caramel brownies if you want too!


    Cut brownies overhead.
    Jump to:
    • What are the BEST brownies?
    • How to make caramel brownies
    • Top tip
    • Make salted caramel brownies
    • Gooey Caramel Brownies (Turtle Brownies)

    What are the BEST brownies?

    When it comes to brownies, there seem to be an unlimited number of options. Here are some of my favorites.

    • Ultimate Chocolate Brownies
    • Think Outside of the Box Brownies
    • Peppermint Cloud Brownies
    • Fudgy Squash Brownies
    • The Ultimate Cookie Stuffed Brownies

    But even with all these choices, very few combinations are better than caramel, chocolate, and a dash of nuts! And I think the only way to describe them are Ooey Gooey.

    Using my recipe, you can make amazing homemade brownies with a caramel swirl. I also like to throw on the pecan bits for extra crunch!

    These caramel brownies also go by the name Turtle Brownies because of the combo of chocolate, caramel and pecans.

    No need for a cake mix!

    I prefer to use this combination of dry ingredients instead of a boxed cake mix for these gooey caramel brownies. A lot of recipes modify a chocolate cake mix and use that for the batter, but I find I get a better chocolate flavor by making my own.

    All you need are basic baking ingredients like cocoa, confectioners' sugar, and flour. With the addition of a special ingredient: instant dry milk.

    The instant dry milk gives the batter a rich flavor and the perfect texture.

    caramel chocolate brownies with pecans in a stack

    How to make caramel brownies

    This brownie recipe takes just a few simple steps.

    • Prepare pan with a parchment lining
    • Melt caramel and milk
    • Make brownie batter
    • Set aside ¼ of the brownie batter
    • Press ¾ brownie batter into the pan and bake
    • Cover base with caramel, remaining batter, chips and nuts
    • Bake until cooked through, cool, enjoy

    I use a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. You can also use a glass baking dish. A standard quarter sheet pan is the perfect size if you have one.

    When you pour that delectable layer of melted caramel, gently spread it to cover the entire brownie base.

    Make little patties of the remaining batter to cover the caramel. (Be careful--the pan will be still hot!).

    Top tip

    One tip for dropping the extra batter: I use cooking spray to coat my hands. That way I can flatten the brownie batter and lay it out in interesting patterns, all while keeping my hands from being covered in brownies!

    Caramel brownies how to. Unbaked brownies in parchment lined pan

    Tip:  I use metal binder clips to hold the parchment to the side of my pan. That way the parchment flap doesn't fall into my brownie. 

    Use the parchment flaps to lift the cooled brownies out of the pan and onto a cutting board. 

    Make salted caramel brownies

    With just the addition of some flaky sea salt, you can make this salty sweet variation. 

    • Make the gooey caramel brownies as directed.
    • Add flaked sea salt before baking brownies the second time.

    I add the flakes of sea salt (I use Maldon salt) before I bake the brownies the second time. Sprinkle the salt on top at the same time you are adding the chips and nuts. 

    caramel chocolate brownies square

    Gooey Caramel Brownies (Turtle Brownies)

    Tara Teaspoon
    Melty caramel and plenty of chocolate make these Gooey Caramel Brownies irresistible. Make salted caramel brownies too!
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Baking
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 to 16 squares
    Calories 325 kcal

    Equipment

    • 9 x 13 inch pan

    Ingredients
      

    Caramel Filling

    • 1 11 oz bag Kraft Caramels (about 38 caramels) unwrapped
    • ⅓ cup evaporated milk

    Brownies

    • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar
    • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
    • ⅓ cup instant nonfat dry milk, such as Carnation
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 10 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
    • ½ cup evaporated milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup chopped pecans

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a greased 9-by-13-inch pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing it to hang over two sides. Set aside.
    • In a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels in evaporated milk, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool while you make the brownies.
    • In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, dry milk, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine well. Add the melted butter, evaporated milk and vanilla and stir with an electric mixer until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl to keep everything evenly incorporated.
    • With greased hands or the back of a spoon, press ¾ of the brownie batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from the oven.
    • Pour melted caramel mixture evenly over brownie base, gently spreading to cover if needed. Use greased hands to make tablespoons of the remaining brownie batter into flat disks. Place the disks over the caramel leaving some caramel showing (they do not need to be touching but can!). Sprinkle top with chocolate chips and pecans. Bake until batter is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes more.
    • Let brownies cool completely before removing from pan. Run a knife around the edges to loosen from pan. Use the parchment hangover to lift brownies out of pan to a cutting board; cut into squares and serve.

    Notes

    • Make these salted caramel brownies by adding flaked sea salt on top with the pecans and chocolate chips.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 244mgPotassium: 286mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 415IUVitamin C: 0.6mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 1.9mg
    Want to watch videos to show you how to cook?Check out our Youtube and try this recipe and more.

    Try more easy brownie recipes: 

    • Slutty Brownies
    • Cream Cheese Brownies

    Tasty cookie recipes!

    • Irish Shamrock Cookies
    • Slice and Bake Spiral Cookies
    • Crispy Pecan Cookies
    • Santa Face Sugar Cookies
    • Peanut Butter Rudolph Reindeer Cookies
    • The Best Classic Gingerbread Cookies
    • Magnificent and Easy Coconut Macaroons (with Variations!)
    • Christmas Tree Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    About Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television & advertising. Order my new cookbook & stick around for amazing things to eat.

    Find out more!

    Recipe, food styling, photography: Tara Teaspoon. Also written by Anne Marie Miller. Original 6/19

    « Pasta With Bacon, Tomato and Yellow Squash
    The Best Frosting For Brownies »

    Filed Under: Baking + Desserts, Brownies, Chocolate Tagged With: brownies, caramel, chocolate, gooey, melt in your mouth, salted caramel

    Primary Sidebar

    search this website

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a career as magazine Food Editor at Martha Stewart and then Entertaining Director at Ladies’ Home Journal. All in all, I’ve shared recipes, cooking tips, and DIY ideas with more than 24 MILLION people. Make that 24 million and one. Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    Live Life Deliciously - Order from Amazon!

    Live Life Deliciously cookbook with cutting boards on table

    follow on social

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    drinks and smoothies e-magazine

    Need something to cool you off?

    Sign up to get a FREE mini magazine full of refreshing drink and smoothie ideas!

    Live Life Deliciously Recipe Sharing Group!

    In this group, we share dinner, dessert, snack, and lunch recipes. Any and all recipes are welcome (with a few rules). Let's make cooking and baking at home fun!

    Join Our Group

    Media Kit

    • facebook
    • instagram
    • pinterest
    • youtube

    Footer

    Helpful Links

    • New Posts
      • Recipe Index
    • Cookbook
    • Shop
      • Cart
      • Checkout
    • About Me
      • Ask Tara
      • Videos
      • Contact Me
        • Privacy Policy
        • Tara Teaspoon Disclosure Statement

    Popular Recipes

    • Cookbook
    • Easy Dinners
    • Grilling
    • Chicken
    • Baking

    Recent Posts

    • Cashew Crunch Salad
    • Favorite Recipes from Tara Teaspoon
    • The Most Delicious, Just-Rhubarb Crisp
    • How To Freeze Rhubarb: Use For Cooking and Baking All Year
    • Orange Glazed Carrots

    Copyright © 2022 Tara Teaspoon on the Brunch Pro Theme