Today’s recipe is one I have had for years and I originally shared it back in 2009. It is a favorite of the entire Wilkes family and it deserved a recipe redo and better photos!
It is one of those recipes that everyone should have in the recipe collection and I am sure many of you do have it.
If you don’t have it, you SHOULD have it.
This recipe alone has made me a VERY popular mother with my boys and many of their friends. This is one of my most requested recipes from my kid’s friends. It earned me lots of Mom Points over the years.
I have made batches of these and delivered them to tour buses passing through town. Mailed them to missionaries. I have made them, wrapped them in plastic and foil and packed them into my suitcase to deliver them to certain college students. In other words – they are good!
They are also pretty easy to make because they use a cake mix. The only hard part of the whole recipe is that the original recipe called for those wrapped Kraft caramels, the kind you make caramel apples out of. But these brownies are so good that it was always easy to get one of the kids to unwrap them for me with the promise of a warm, gooey caramel brownie. A few years ago Kraft came out with Caramel Bits and the unwrapping no longer became necessary!! Now there is no excuse not to make them!
They look just like chocolate chips but are made out of caramel. So easy to use – no unwrapping!!!
The process is easy for these Caramel Brownies. You mix up the cake mix with some melted butter and evaporated milk and spread half of the batter in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.
Melt together the caramel bits and some evaporated in a pan until it is nice and melted and smooth. While you are doing this bake the pan of batter for 6 minutes. After you pull it out of the oven sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
Pour your melted caramel over the top of the chocolate chips.
Add the other half of the batter. You won’t be able to spread the batter so I just drop it in flat little clumps over the top.
Then bake it again for 15-18 minutes. Then, if you can, allow them to cool before cutting. If you are like me, you can’t wait, and you cut your self off a piece right away – nice and warm and gooey!!
What better combination than chocolate and caramel – yum!!
So next time you want to get in good with your children’s friends – make them a batch of Caramel Brownies. They will love you forever!!
I originally got this recipe from my sister in law years ago and it is a favorite of the entire Wilkes family!! Everyone loves Aunt Tricia’s caramel brownies.
Other brownies treats:
Mud Hen Bars – Fudgy Marshmallow Brownies – Inside Out S’more Brownies
- 14 oz package Kraft caramels about 50 or 1 bag of Caramel Bits
- 2/3 C evaporated milk divided
- 1 box of German Chocolate cake mix
- 3/4 C butter melted
- 1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 C chopped nuts optional. I don't use.
- Over medium low heat, melt 1/3 C evaporated milk and caramels in a saucepan
- Grease a 9 x 13 pan
- Mix cake mix, butter, 1/3 C evaporated milk and nuts (optional)
- Mix together well
- Press 1/2 of the dough into bottom of pan
- Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and spread caramel on top of that
- Sprinkle remaining dough on top (will not completely cover)
- Bake 15-18 minutes
- Can refrigerate to set caramel but we never do!
- Just eat them warm!!
Hi – I’m Leigh Anne! I have been a homebased mom for 30 years since my first baby boy was born! I love working with women and helping to inspire them to achieve their goals and dreams while still maintaining motherhood and family as their number one priority. I blog about everything I enjoy – creating treats and meals in my kitchen, spending time in my garden, entertaining and party planning, reading, self improvement and tips and ideas on style and fashion.
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That is a perfect recipe. Simple by yummy. I can’t wait to be the most popular mom on the block today.
My diet is crying right now. Man those look good.
This just stopped my heart. So freaking beautiful and sweet. I will try this
They are pretty amazing!
You’re right! The hardest part was unwrapping the caramels. I first had these at S.F. clothing market about 25 years ago at the Cherokee jean showroom – sinfully delicious!
I will be making these SOON! I have a bag of caramel bits that I purchased to make caramel apples for Halloween but haven’t been able to find tart apples here in Japan! I’m so happy you posted a recipe using caramel bits! Thanks Leigh Ann!
Ok, so I haven’t made this recipe before. BUT, I have used caramels before, and you’re absolutely right, taking off the wrappers is the most time consuming part! I usually enlist my husband….ie, “the faster we get these caramels unwrapped, the sooner you can eat these delicious brownies I’m baking for you!” Works every time! 🙂
I found the caramel bits a couple of years ago @ Safeway in Tigard. Not sure if I’ve seen them again though. Haven’t made these brownies in a long time cause I can’t leave them alone so it’s better not to make them at all!! But they are so yummy!
yum, yum, yum, I have never made these. I’ll be keeping my eye open for caramels.
Yum! Yum! We sent all the girls to camp one year by making thousands of these! They are to die for!
These brownies are deeeelish! My son is allergic to nuts and eggs so this is the only “safe” brownie recipe we’ve come across and it’s such a hit in my house. Only thing is they are also called “Hundred Thousand Calorie Bars”… no joke! Thanks for the pointer on finding the caramel bits at Walmart. I’ll have to make a trip to find them. Going to Walmart is a nightmare in my world but if it makes my baking easier, I’ll give it a go!
These brownies look delicious! I just need to invite people over to share them so I don’t eat the whole pan! LOL Thanks for sharing another scrumptious recipe.
Yes this is a great recipe, it’s one that I’ve had for years. I got it from a gourmet catering shop in PA when I was a teenager (only 15 or so short years ago). My only variation is dark chocolate or devils food cake mix.
My family only ever wants this kind of brownie from me and now my nephew (on a mission in MI) requests them from me there too!
Can’t wait to make these! Do you think a regular old plain chocolate cake mix will taste good or does the german chocolate make it taste best?
My Wal-mart in Woodburn has them. $2.34 a bag.
Thanks for the recipe, Leigh Anne! I made the (dreaded) trip to WalMart for the Caramel Bits and it made making the brownies a snap!! I took them to a church workshop and they were gone in minutes. 🙂
I’ll have to hunt for the caramels… We’ve made this recipe for years (I won’t tell you the size of my thighs), but I use a Devil’s food cake mix, and I layer some toasted pecans right on top of the caramel and chocolate chips. Soooo yummy! The kids don’t have to eat any if they don’t like the nuts…
And they freeze VERY well, for those days when you just don’t have anyone to give them to.
I just made these this morning and I have a problem…they are like unbaked brownie dough. I even kept them in the oven for 23 minutes the 2nd time because I thought they looked undone. I used one bag of caramel bits. I rechecked the recipe and I used the exact amount of ingredients above. Does anybody have any idea what happened? They definitely do not look like the picture above!
Jennifer, I have no idea why they would not cook – they are gooey with the caramel but definitely cooked through. Have you checked the temperature of your oven lately? How thick was the layer of dough you put on top of the caramel?
Made these for Thanksgiving . . . except (don’t you love it when people say they made your recipe “except”?) . . . I sprinkled some chocolate chips on top when it was done. I thought that it looked like it needed a little something extra, so I sprinkled some (I’m guessing about 1 cup) on top and put it back into the warm (but turned-off) oven for a few minutes. The chocolate chips got a little goey, but it was wonderful! This recipe definitely is one that will be a staple!
Incidentally, my great aunt Edie used to make these when I was a kid. My grandma has made them a few times; I’m guessing she got Edie’s recipe. I have always loved them! Thanks for taking me back to my childhood . . . and reminding me of a beloved aunt!!!
Super Yummy! I used a Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix and they were delicious. Thank you so much for sharing.
Those do sound quite tasty and I can honestly say that I’ve never made anything besides the regular brownies, sometimes topped with minty frosting. Ill have to give those a try!
-Jack
I just made these for enrichment (women’s organization), and they are super yummy! I sprinkled them with toffee bits just to add a little crunch and to hint at the yummy caramel underneath. Thanks for a great recipe!
This is perfect! I have a bag of these caramels I bought on clearance (I think at Walmart out here in Virginia) and I haven’t known what to do with them. Thanks.
These brownies were the best!! I followed the recipe exactly!! Thank you so much! I will bake them and give them to my husband when he comes home from the army!!
I love caramel and this recipe. Thank you Leigh Anne.
Can’t go wrong with caramel!
Looks so awesome! I can’t wait to try! I’m going to send these to cheer practice for my daughter’s team so I can earn some “Cheer Mom Points!”
I made these last night to go with a dinner I was delivering to a friend. I had one warm and gooey and it was so good. I mentioned to my husband that he should get them out of the house and take them to work. He took them all, but he said he was told to tell me that they were the best brownies they had ever had. A success.
these luscious looking brownies are in the oven need to add something chocolate to the Christmas Cookie plate so will refrain myself until Christmas dinner desserts. Merry Christmas to you and your family and have enjoyed your blog over the years..