Salted Caramel Blondies
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These salted caramel blondies are everything you love about blondie bars with the added benefit of being completely refined sugar free! Gooey, chewy, vanilla-scented blondies marbled with a homemade naturally sweetened salted caramel sauce. They require just 7 ingredients, are easy to make, and kick those sugar cravings to the curb!
Table of Contents
- Gooey salted caramel blondies made without refined sugar
- What’s the difference between a brownie and a blondie?
- Main ingredients in salted caramel blondies
- How to make salted caramel blondies from scratch
- How to store salted caramel blondies
- Salted Caramel Blondies FAQ
- Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- More easy refined sugar free traybakes
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Gooey salted caramel blondies made without refined sugar
How do you make a gooey blondie bar even better? Why you swirl in some refined sugar free salted caramel sauce, of course.
I’m calling these Salted Caramel Blondies the best gateway bake ever. If you’re new to refined sugar free baking and are concerned about naturally sweetened bakes being, well, not sweet enough for you, these babies will definitely change your mind!
They’re gooey and squidgy in the best possible way and very sweet thanks to the rivers of salted caramel sauce. You could even drizzle on more caramel sauce if you’re feeling bold. I ain’t gonna judge.
What’s the difference between a brownie and a blondie?
Blondies are brownies’ vanilla-scented, sophisticated cousin. A blondie has the same fudgy and chewy texture you love in a brownie, but it doesn’t contain any chocolate or cocoa and is traditionally made with brown sugar instead of granulated.
They’re flavoured mainly with vanilla extract and usually feature fun add-ins like chocolate chips, candy, or (in this case) caramel swirls.
Main ingredients in salted caramel blondies
- Unsalted butter: Lovely butter is what makes these salted caramel blondies supremely rich and chewy. We’re using unsalted because it’s easier to control the salt by adding it separately.
- Coconut sugar: Our brown sugar substitute and what makes these blondies naturally sweet! It’s the perfect companion to the caramel sauce because it already tastes slightly caramelly. The sugar also creates the thin, flakey layer on top, which is just a delight.
- Vanilla extract: Our main flavour enhancer for these bars and helps bring out the flavour of the caramel even more.
- Egg: Since we’re not using any leaveners, the eggs are what help give the blondies some lift. They also provide extra richness and structure.
- Sea salt: Essential to season and enhance the sweetness of the caramel.
- Plain flour: Flour provides the main structure for the bars – but just a little because we want them extra gooey and fudgy. Too much flour makes the blondies cakey instead of chewy.
- Salted caramel sauce: Our star ingredient! For this recipe, I love to use my homemade refined sugar free caramel sauce and add a little extra salt. It’s sweet perfection!
How to make salted caramel blondies from scratch
Making blondies is a snap! They’re one of my favourite bakes to make because they’re super quick and can satisfy my sweet cravings fast. Here’s how to make salted caramel blondies:
- Preheat the oven and lightly grease and line a square baking tin with non-stick paper.
- Whisk together melted butter and coconut sugar in a medium bowl until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk well until frothy.
- Add the salt and flour and whisk just until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking tin and level the top.
- Dollop the tablespoons of salted caramel sauce randomly on top of the batter.
- Marble the caramel sauce into the batter and then bake the blondies for 18-22 minutes. Place the tin on a wire rack and allow the blondies to cool completely before slicing into 16 pieces.
Full details are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to store salted caramel blondies
Store these salted caramel blondies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Stack the cut blondies in a freezer-safe container; separate the layers with a sheet of non-stick baking or wax paper. Seal the container and freeze for up to 3 months. They will defrost well at room temperature.
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Salted Caramel Blondies FAQ
Have a question about making salted caramel blondies? Let’s get you some answers! If your question isn’t answered here, please leave a comment below.
Why are my blondies cakey?
Cakey blondies usually result from overbaking or from adding too much flour. You want to make sure you’re following the measurements and baking time in the recipe directions exactly and start checking them about 2 minutes before the time indicated.
If you followed the directions correctly, your oven may be running too hot or cold. I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer as internal temperature gauges are rarely accurate.
Why are my blondies raw in the middle?
Blondies, especially these salted caramel blondies or others with a liquid swirl, are supposed to be fudgy, gooey, and chewy in the middle. However, they shouldn’t be falling apart. If your blondies are coming apart in your hands, it’s likely for one of two reasons:
- You underbaked your blondies. You want to make sure you’re following the baking time in the recipe directions exactly and start checking them about 2 minutes before the time indicated. (Check they’re done with these tips.) If you followed the directions correctly, your oven may be running too hot or cold. I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer as internal temperature gauges are rarely accurate.
- You didn’t let them cool completely before slicing. I know it’s incredibly tempting to dive straight in while they’re warm from the oven, but blondies – like brownies – need time to set. Ideally, you want to leave them in the tin to cool completely before slicing. The residual heat from the tin will keep cooking the blondies and help them to set properly.
How do I know if my blondies are done?
Visual cues are the best indicator when it comes to checking the doneness of blondies. In particular, watch for the blondies to start to pull away from the sides of the tin slightly and look for a glossy, dry top. These are the best indicators they’re ready. Toothpicks can lie as they’ll likely be quite gooey in the centre when you take them out.
Can I put blondies back in the oven?
If they haven’t been out of the oven for more than 10 minutes, you can likely stick a batch of blondies back into the oven to try and cook them a bit more.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- When lining your baking tray, make sure you have a few extra inches of paper hanging over either side. This will help you easily remove the salted caramel blondies from the tray once cooled.
- Don’t go crazy with the mixing. Over-whipping the batter once you add the flour can develop the gluten and make the blondies tough. Only mix until everything is smooth and then stop! Use a spatula and fold the flour in for more control.
- Use cold caramel sauce for swirling. The refined sugar free caramel sauce works best for this recipe when it’s thick and cold straight from the fridge – it makes it easier to swirl and stays afloat on the batter.
- Don’t over-bake them. The blondies are done when the edges just start to pull away from the sides of the tin and they look glossy and dry on top. If you insert a toothpick at the centre, there should be a little batter stuck to it. The blondies will continue cooking as they cool in the tin.
More easy refined sugar free traybakes
Refined Sugar Free Brownies
London Fog Flapjacks
Millionaire Shortbread
Chocolate Orange Shortbread Bars
Honey Almond Flapjacks
Mint Chocolate Brownies
Apple Crumble Slice
Peanut Butter Flapjacks
Best Ever Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Honey Lemon Shortbread Bars
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If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love this salted caramel blondies recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!
Salted Caramel Blondies
These salted caramel blondies are everything you love about blondie bars with the added benefit of being completely refined sugar free! Gooey, chewy, vanilla-scented blondies marbled with a homemade naturally sweetened salted caramel sauce. They require just 7 ingredients, are easy to make, and kick those sugar cravings to the curb!
Ingredients
- 120 g unsalted butter melted
- 200 g coconut sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 125 g plain flour
- 6 tbsp cold Refined Sugar Free Salted Caramel Sauce (see notes for link)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and lightly grease and line a 20cm (8 inch) square baking tin with non-stick paper. Leave a slight overhang of paper for easy removal.
- Whisk together warm (not hot) melted butter with the coconut sugar in a medium bowl until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk well until frothy.
- Add the salt and flour and whisk just until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking tin and push it all the way into the corners and level the top.
- Dollop the tablespoons of Refined Sugar Free Salted Caramel Sauce (see notes for link) randomly on top of the batter.
- Marble the caramel sauce by dragging a toothpick or skewer in an ‘W’ pattern from one side of the tin to the other. Rotate the tin 90° and repeat the same pattern.
- Bake the blondies for 18-22 minutes or until they just start to pull away from the sides of the tin and they look dry and glossy on top. Place the tin on a wire rack and allow the blondies to cool completely in the tin before removing and slicing into 16 equal pieces.
Notes
- Get the recipe for Refined Sugar Free Salted Caramel Sauce here.
- These blondies will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
