Triple Chocolate Caramel Bars
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Triple Chocolate Caramel Bars are like a thick chewy brownie only better!! The cake mix bars are the perfect balance between fudgy and cakey with a rich, deep chocolate flavor and gooey caramel baked right in, so every bite is a decadent treat.
If you’re a chocoholic you’ll love our Chocolate Fudge Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge, or Chocolate Lava Cake. Each recipe is made with lots of chocolate and super easy to make.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Chocolate Caramel Bars
Three types of chocolate AND caramel…is there really any more to say? These Triple Chocolate Caramel Bars are dead simple to make, and you’ll end up with a soft gooey dessert no one can resist. Seriously, these cake mix bars are crazy good. They might even melt away all your problems!
Ok, they may not solve world problems, but you’ve got to admit, there’s something pretty wonderful about sitting down with a rich delicious chocolate dessert to make you forget your troubles… even if only temporarily.
If you want an easy chocolate dessert you can’t stop eating, then make these bars – you won’t be sorry.
- They start with a cake mix!
- 3 types of chocolate!
- Caramel baked right in
- Super simple to make
What Are Triple Chocolate Caramel Bars?
We took a dark chocolate cake mix, modified it, and turned it into a chocolatey, brownie-like bar. These bars combine the moistness of a cake, the chewiness of a brownie, and the chocolate chips of a cookie to make a chocolate indulgence the whole family will love.
Every bite is oozing with chocolate and caramel. OMG……SO good! The perfect dessert bar for parties or whenever you want to treat someone special!
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Chocolate Caramel Bar Ingredients
The best thing about this recipe is it’s made with simple ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Dark chocolate cake mix– I prefer to use Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge because it’s rich, dark, and fudgy, but you can use any cake mix you choose.
- Butter- You want your butter to be softened, but not melted. Allow the butter to sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to soften.
- Egg– Not sure if your eggs are good? Put an egg in a cup of water, and if it floats, then it’s bad. room temperature is best.
- Caramel sweetened condensed milk– You can typically find this in the baking aisle near the condensed milk. It may be called Dulce De Leche. Caramel sauce will work in a pinch.
- Chocolate chips– You will need both milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips for this recipe. You can find these in the baking aisle as well.
How to Make Epic Chocolate Caramel Bars
(full printable recipe at the end of this post)
ONE: Start things off with a dough made from my favorite dark chocolate cake mix. Note, you are not following the directions to make a cake, but you will make a stiff dark chocolate dough with the cake mix, butter, and egg.
TWO: Top the dough with milk chocolate and white chocolate chips
THREE: Next comes the caramel! Caramel sweetened condensed milk (or Dulce De Leche) is poured over the chips and chocolate dough. You can’t beat chocolate + caramel –amiright?
FOUR: Finally, sandwich it off, with more of that sweet chocolate dough and chocolate chips!
FIVE: Bake your chocolate bars for 27-30 minutes. Let them cool completely before slicing and serving.
I told you it was EASY!
Recipe FAQs
Do I follow the cake box directions?
No, do not follow the directions on the back of your box. By adding just the egg and butter, the cake batter turns into a dough which is what makes your bars. If you follow the steps on the back of the box, you will not end up with chocolate bars. Follow the directions below to ensure you make the best chocolate caramel bars possible.
What if I can’t find caramel condensed milk?
If you cannot find either Dulce De Leche or sweetened caramel condensed milk, you can use caramel sauce (the ice cream topping) or just regular sweetened condensed milk. You can also make your own dulce de leche using sweetened condensed milk. It’s pretty simple and will make these bars taste amazing.
What is Dulce de leche?
Dulce de leche is also known as caramelized milk. Dulce de leche is made from condensed milk, or milk and some sugar, while caramel is made of mostly sugar with some butter and cream added at the end. Both are caramelized.
Pro Tips In The Kitchen
Always line your pan with parchment paper: Once the bars are cool and you cut them, the parchment paper makes it easier to pluck a bar out without it sticking and making a mess.
Do not soften butter in the microwave: It may be tempting to microwave the butter if you have forgotten to take it out, but this will change the consistency of the dough. Ideally, allow the butter to sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours to soften. I usually slice the butter into pieces, this will allow it to soften quicker.
You can also place a warm bowl over the butter to soften – heat the bowl by filling it with hot or boiling water, empty the water out and invert the warm bowl over the butter for about 20 -30 minutes (for quicker results slice the butter for this method as well).
Don’t over mix your batter: You don’t want to over mix the batter because you want it to be like a dough. Only mix the ingredients until they are fully combined.
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Originally posted in September 2017. UPDATED Octobater 2021. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.
Triple Chocolate Caramel Bars
Triple Chocolate Caramel Bars are like a thick chewy brownie only better! These indulgent cake mix bars are the perfect balance between fudgy and cakey with a rich, deep chocolate flavor and gooey caramel baked right in, so every bite is a decadent treat.
Ingredients
- 1 dark chocolate cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hine Dark Chocolate Fudge)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup caramel sweetened condensed milk (or *Dulce De Leche)
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F and line a 9x9 (or 8x8) pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray
- Using an electric mixer, combine cake mix, butter and egg in large bowl until a thick dough forms.
- Using your fingers, press ⅔ of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of both milk chocolate and white chocolate chips over dough.
- Pour a thin, even coat of sweetened condensed milk over the top.
- Form remaining dough into approximately 9 balls. Place the dough balls on top of chips and press down to flatten.
- Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake 27- 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.
Notes
* Dulce De Leche is usually in the baking aisle near the sweetened condensed milk or sometimes it's in the Mexican section of the grocery store. If you can't find either caramel sweetened condensed milk or Dulce De Leche, just use regular sweetened condensed milk.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 399Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 230mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 38gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
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I saw those and thought I was in heaven. Hello! They look like the most delicious dessert on the planet!
Were do you find caramel condensed milk?
it’s in the baking aisle by the regular sweetened condensed milk, or if your store doesn’t carry that you can also use Dulce De Leche