Before you start
This is the one-bowl cocoa brownie carrying pockets of soft caramel that bake into molten seams. Shop-bought soft caramels are the honest move here and work perfectly. The rule that matters: caramel in the middle layer, never touching the tin, or it welds itself to the metal and takes the brownie with it.
Everything you need
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (64 g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 150 g soft caramels, halved
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
-
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 20 cm square tin with paper overhanging two sides.
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Melt the butter, then whisk the sugar into it hard for a full minute while hot.
For this step
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
-
Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, whisking until the batter turns glossy.
For this step
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
-
Fold in the cocoa, flour and fine salt until just combined.
For this step
- ¾ cup (64 g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
-
Spread two thirds of the batter in the tin. Scatter the caramel halves over, keeping a clear 2 cm border at every edge. Cover with the rest of the batter.
-
Bake 26 to 30 minutes until the top is crackled and a skewer near the edge comes out with moist crumbs. Scatter the flaky salt over immediately. Cool fully in the tin before lifting out: the caramel needs to set from lava back to chew.
For this step
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
Baker's tips
- The 2 cm caramel border is the whole recipe. Caramel that touches the tin edge caramelises again, hardens, and cements the slab in place.
- Cut with a hot dry knife (dipped in hot water, wiped) for clean squares through the caramel seams.
Make it your own
- Swirl 3 tablespoons of dulce de leche through the top instead of using caramel pieces.
- Add ½ cup toasted pecans with the caramels for a turtle brownie.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 4 days. The caramel pockets stay soft. Freezes cut for 3 months, and a frozen one microwaved 15 seconds is a legitimate dessert.
Frequently asked
Can I use shop-bought caramels in brownies?
Yes, soft eating caramels are ideal: they melt into pockets and re-set chewy. Hard boiled caramels don't melt properly and crack teeth, so check the bag.
Why did my caramel sink to the bottom?
The pieces were too big or the batter too warm and loose. Halve the caramels, keep the batter thick, and sandwich the pieces between two batter layers.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to bake
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.