If it’s wrong to use an entire pound of butter in one 9×13 pan of bars, I don’t want to be right.

I am on a diet, but I will send these to work with my husband tomorrow.  Oh, joy, I will be a hero.

Oh salted caramel butter bars, why do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
The dense shortbread crust….
The chewy, soft, creamy caramel filling…..
The “bite” for the sprinkle of salt to balance it all out….
And the topping.  Buttery, melt in your mouth madness….

Oh, and I can’t forget to add: They are SO easy to make.  We even use store bought caramels.  Can’t get much easier than that.

Recipe from Coookies and Cups

Ingredients
1 lb. salted butter room temp (That’s right, butter lovers- an ENTIRE POUND)
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
4 cups AP flour

For the Filling:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
⅓ cup milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
*1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°

2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until
creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on
low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.

3. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. (I lined mine with parchment paper, just to be safe, and would recommend that you do, too.)  Press one-third of the dough
evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and chill in
refrigerator.

4. Bake crust until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a
wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.

5. While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling.
Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1
minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted,
microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.

6. Once the caramel is melted add in your 1/2 tsp vanilla and stir until combined.

7. Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel
layer now.

8. Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.

9. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping
is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.

10. Let cool before cutting into squares.