I always bring these caramel bars as a dessert to potluck parties and they have always been a hit! Just the rights sweetness, soft, and nutty – best paired with coffee or tea!
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Let your cravings lead the way. This phrase holds true for this recipe. I’ve been craving for Max’s caramel bars, and as the nearest Max’s restaurant is a 30-minute drive from where I live, I thought I should be able to replicate these bars from my own kitchen. My version is equally good, easy, and cheaper to make!
These caremel bars are made from simple ingredients – flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, and cashew nuts. I prefer to use light brown sugar over dark primarily because of the nice, golden brown color it gives, but if you don’t have one then dark brown sugar is okay.
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Here’s What You’ll Need
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT:
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- spatula
- saucepan
INGREDIENTS:
- 156 grams (1 1/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 227 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 250 grams (1 3/4 cup) light brown sugar
- 3 pieces large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cashew nuts, chopped
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How to Make Caramel Bars Step-by-Step
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Temper the eggs by adding about ⅓ of the butter mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly (to avoid cooking the eggs).
When they are mixed, return the eggs back in the saucepan (that is still over low heat) with the remaining butter mixture. Mix thoroughly with a whisk. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined. Be careful not to overmix or the bars will be tough. Turn off the heat.
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Caramel Bars
Ingredients
- 156 grams (1 1/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 227 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 250 grams (1 3/4) cup light brown sugar
- 3 pieces large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cashew nuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C. Line the bottom of an 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.156 grams (1 1/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt
- In another mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract. Set aside.3 pieces large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar and mix until combined. (Do not turn off the heat yet.)227 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter250 grams (1 3/4) cup light brown sugar
- Temper the eggs (Note 1) by adding about ⅓ of the butter mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly (to avoid cooking the eggs). When they are mixed, return the eggs back to the saucepan with the remaining butter mixture. Mix thoroughly with a whisk.
- Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined. Be careful not to overmix or the bars will be tough. Turn off the heat. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Evenly distribute the batter into the pan by gently spreading the batter to the sides using a spatula.
- Sprinkle top with chopped cashew nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick/ cake tester inserted into the centre of the bar comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting them.1/2 cup cashew nuts
This is a lovely recipe! Further, I want to commend your site design here – noting the measurements required when an ingredient is mentioned is so useful, it’s incredibly annoying when it’s left out so you have to scroll up to the ingredients list every two seconds!
Thanks for the recipe.
Karuna, thank you for sharing your feedback! I am thrilled you love these caramels bars and the site design useful. 🙂
I don’t recommended this recipe and lack of ingredients. it came out the cakey! it’s supposed to be moist, chewy. Don’t recommended!
Thanks for sharing! Outcome was good but my final product didn’t come close to Max’s.
Thank you for sharing your feedback! =)
i tried it tho i didn’t temper the eggs bcos i just found the notes when i’m done baking it, mine came out like a cake 🙁
Hi, is this supposed to be cakey or kind of fudgy/chewy? I tried it but mine was cakey
Hi! It is on the cakey side.
I suggest having the eggs at a room temperature because it helps preventing the eggs from scrambling. Also turning off the heat to the sugar and butter mixture before adding the eggs to the mixture. I don’t want to sound rude but I do think you could have been more specific in your instructions, especially for the non-bakers.
She didn’t say in the recipe to add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture it’s the other way around and was very specific on how to do it so the eggs don’t get scrambled.
Hi this recipe is so good! Do you have a video of it?
Than you, Sarrah! Hopefully I’ll be able to do videos soon!
Hi! Can I bake this using 2 6 inch or 8 inch round pans? Can I also fold in toasted cashews in the batter? Thank you!
Yes, you can add toasted cashews into the batter if you like.
I have not tried baking this in a 6 or 8-inch pan but I think it would work. Try filling the pan up to half-full only as they rise quite a bit. You may also need to adjust the baking time – it’s done when a toothpick/ cake tester inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Good luck!=)
Hello Trish,
Will there be a huge difference if I use a margarine instead of butter?
Thanks,
Bea
Sorry, I haven’t tried using margarine for this recipe. I would love to know in case you will try!