This Caramel Slice is easy, the caramel is made from scratch and sets perfectly – no thermometer required! It won’t ooze out when you slice it and the chocolate won’t crack. These are all the grievances I had with other recipes I tried! {See recipe video below recipe}
Reader Rachel says “Wow! This was really fantastic. I’ve been hunting for a caramel slice that cuts well, doesn’t ooze it crack and had enough filling. This is perfect! So tasty, I love how crunchy the base gets and my mum adores it! I only made it last night, but I don’t think it will last long!”
Caramel Slice – A great Aussie favourite!
It’s practically un-Australian for a bakery to NOT sell Caramel Slice. With a simple biscuit base, soft caramel filling and a chocolate topping, it’s one of those treats that’s craved by kids and grown ups.
I’ve only ever known it as a Caramel Slice, but I was quite interested to learn that overseas, it’s also known as Millionaire’s Shortbread (appropriate!), Caramel Shortbread, Chocolate Caramel Bars.
Doesn’t really matter what you call these. Just the sight of them surely brings a smile to anyone’s face, and that, my friends, is a universal language. 🙂 (“That” being a Food Smile)
Making a Caramel Slice that actually has caramel in it
Nailing a Caramel Slice recipe is something that’s been driving me bonkers for years. Specifically, the caramel filling – ensuring it sets, without using a thermometer. Soft set, not hard like toffee or chewy like caramels. But firm enough so it doesn’t coming oozing out when you cut it the slice and it holds it’s shape at room temperature.
I find that using a straightforward condensed milk recipe works great for these Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies. Caramel in a brownie isn’t as difficult because brownies are soft, which means they are easier to cut into without the caramel oozing out everywhere.
But a Caramel Slice is harder because it’s topped with chocolate. Which means unless the caramel sets perfectly, it will ooze out everywhere when you try to cut the slice, leaving me with a [delicious] mess that has to be eaten with a spoon.
I have tried many recipes over the years, including from some well known chefs, and classic “best ever” recipes, yet I’ve never found The One. So I scrapped all the research I’d done and decided to start with a blank piece of paper.
And the first thought that popped into my head was this: Shouldn’t a caramel filling be made with at least some caramel? Not just condensed milk and golden syrup, which is what every recipe I have seen recipes says??
So that’s how this recipe came to be. 🙂 After countless fails over the years, it took just one go to “get the recipe”. It’s so simple: butter + brown sugar + condensed milk whisked over low heat for 5 minutes, then baked for a further 12 minutes = perfect soft set caramel.
Once it’s baked, it comes out with golden splotches and doesn’t look very pretty, but that doesn’t matter because it gets covered with [plenty of] chocolate.
Is it just me who thinks that a melted chocolate pour-shot is one of the most beautiful things in the world? 😉
I’ve tested this recipe 3 times since I created it (literally just earlier this week!). And I’m pleased to report that the Art Director of Super Food Ideas magazine asked for the recipe in advance (after receiving a sample!) so she could make these for a school bake sale, and she gives it a thumbs up! So there’s already 3rd party validation for this recipe – yee ha!!! (Update: I was getting reports during the bake sale that many people were commenting “this is the BEST slice ever!” 🙂 )
Added bonus: these Caramel Slices cut as beautifully as you see in the photo, with a neat line between each layer. All you need to do is warm the knife under tap water, wipe it dry, then cut.
How to make Caramel Slice
Added extra bonus: This is easy to make. I really promise you that. Long-term readers will know that I haven’t shared much baking recipes in the past, and that’s because I’m more of a savoury than sweet gal. Baking isn’t my thing, I’m not into fiddly or fancy decorations, or impressive restaurant desserts with a gazillion different components, like what you see in Masterchef Challenges.
My sweet treats are always pretty easy. That’s just how I roll.
Happy weekend! I think it’s a good one for….erm…baking?? 😉 – Nagi x
For Caramel Monsters
- Salted Caramel Tart
- Peanut Butter Caramel Tart – dangerously easy
- Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies
- Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel – just place a can of condensed milk in the slow cooker!
More slices and bars
- Brownies!!
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Strawberry Bars – made with tons of FRESH strawberries!
- Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars
- Easy Lemon Bars
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Caramel Slice recipe video!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Caramel Slice
Ingredients
Base
- 1 cup / 125g plain flour
- 1/2 cup / 87.5 g brown sugar, not tightly packed
- 1/2 cup / 45 g desiccated coconut (US: sweetened coconut flakes, Note 1a)
- 4.5 oz / 125 g unsalted butter, melted
Caramel filling
- 1/2 cup / 4 oz / 125g unsalted butter, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup / 87.5 g cup brown sugar
- 14 oz / 395 g sweetened condensed milk (1 can) (Note 1b)
Chocolate Topping
- 7 oz / 200 g dark or milk melting chocolate (America: semi-sweet chocolate chips)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
Base
- Preheat oven to 160C/320F (fan forced) / 180C/350F (conventional)
- Spray with oil or butter and line a 28x 18cm (lamington pan) / 7" x 11" rectangle pan with parchment paper (Note 2). Have overhang for ease of removal.
- Mix together Base ingredients and press into a pan (I use an egg flip)
- Bake for 15 minutes until the surface is golden. Optional: Cool in the fridge (Note 2a)
Caramel
- Place butter and sugar in pan over low heat. When the butter is melted, whisk to combine with sugar. As soon as the caramel starts to bubble, add condensed milk. Stir constantly for 5 minutes (Note 3), it will start to bubble gently after 3 to 4 minutes after which it will thicken quickly. It should be thick and pale golden by the end of 5 minutes.
- Pour onto Base. Bake for 12 minutes at 160C/320F (fan forced) / 180C/350F (conventional). The top should be spotty with dark golden bubbles but the caramel should jiggle when you shake the pan. Refrigerate until the caramel is set.
Chocolate
- Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second bursts in high, stirring in between. When the chocolate is smooth and fully melted, stir through oil.
- Pour over caramel then refrigerate until set. See Note 4 for smooth vs textured top.
- Cut into bars or squares to serve. (Note 5)
Recipe Notes:
No nutrition info for this one. Just accept – it’s not nutritious!
LIFE OF DOZER
Here’s your daily Dozer dose. On a scale of 1 to 10, how ridiculous do you think he looks in his bath robe??? 😉
SaveSave
Made this tonight – so easy and so delicious! My husband is onto his third or fourth piece and is still raving about it 🙂
That’s great to hear Monique!
I’ve just made this piece of heaven tonight and it was super fun and easy. My husband isn’t a fan of chocolate so I used white chocolate and coconut oil (instead of vegetable oil) melted in a zip lock bag in hot water. Yummy ❤️
That’s a great idea Lula!
Try again last nite…. yayyyyyy this time I got it perfect…. so happy with that, give some to my daugter who have a cafe in city and she said my caramel slice way way better than one she sell from bakery, her husband a chef in they cafe, finnis off all caramel slice last nite, surprise becouse he never can finnis one slice from they cafe…
Thank you Nagi.. your caramel slice is the best from the best… 😍
That’s such a great compliment Intal!!! ❤️
Hi I want to know if u can use salted butter for this recipe
Hi Natasha, yes you can (my default is always unsalted so I can control the salt in a recipe)
Make it last nite, follow all the step and correct amount of ingredients.
Bake on 180 c for 15 minutes, still not get litle brown on top after 30 minus get a bit brown.
For caramel too, waiting litle dark spots after double in time.
My caramel come out hard base and dry caramel on top, so layer chocolate on top doesn’t stick properly.
I will try to give another go, can I take it out from the oven (15 minutes) before it get litle brown for the base and take caramel out before they get bubble and dark litle sport appears?
Hi Intah, sorry you had trouble with this one, sounds like the base and caramel overcooked, hence it being dry and hard. Take it out at the 15 minute mark and you should be ok. I hope you attempt it again and let me know how you go! – N x
Try again last nite…. yayyyyyy this time I got it perfect…. so happy with that, give some to my daugter who have a cafe in city and she said my caramel slice way way better than one she sell from bakery, her husband a chef in they cafe, finnis off all caramel slice last nite, surprise becouse he never can finnis one slice from they cafe…
Thank you Nagi.. your caramel slice is the best from the best… 😍
My base went funny. I’d love to send a pic!
Hi Natalie, what happened?
I just made this recipe for the first time – by far my favourite caramel slice recipe to date! I didn’t have any coconut so I replaced it with half a cup of slightly blitzed up oats amd it actually worked perfectly! (I didn’t read the note about it not working without coconut)
Great recipe!!
That’s great to hear Kacey, a perfect alternative ❤️
would it be ok to add salted caramel flavour to the caramel mix. my effort turned out good used the shortbread base slightly burnt the caramel but otherwise very nice eating
Question, I made a test batch for my daughter’s international night and found the chocolate to be the most prominent flavor. Is this how it should taste or did I do something wrong. I used semi sweet chocolate chips.
Hi Sandra, you could always reduce the amount of chocolate slightly if you prefer a thinner layer – N x
Hi Nagi, I made this recipe, but using the shortbread base from your lemon bars recipe and doubled it as noted. The biscuit base was quite thick compared to the amount of caramel – about 1.5cm. Is doubling the quantity of the ingredients for the biscuit base correct? It was still delicious, just more of a Carmel choc topped biscuit than a caramel slice 😉 thanks
Followed the recipe to a ‘T’ and came out beautifully. My husband is currently stuffing the off-cuts into his gob.. Thanks Nagi!
Awesome Suna!
I spent ten of my formative years, growing up in various Australian cities … and, for the life of me, cannot remember caramel slices. Obviously, it was my loss, and I plan to remedy that. Just need to buy a can of condensed milk, and I’m good to go.
It’s never too late Chris!
This is an amazing recipe, followed all steps and it turned out perfect. Each layer was well defined. Thank you so much!
Can I ask if I wanted to have a thicker layer of caramel, and made say 1.5 times the quantity of that layer, how much longer do you think I should bake it for?
Hi Linda, I’d check at about 15 minutes ❤️
OMG! Sooooo good! I also sprinkled pecans and sea salt on top of chocolate before placing in fridge to set. Yum!!!
Sounds delicious Cynthia!!!
Hi there! Just wondering how long these would last in an airtight container? I would love to make them for an upcoming party but won’t have time to do it the day before or morning of. Th aks!
Hi Alison – these will be fine to make a few days in advance – if you can resist temptation that long 😂
I made today yesterday and it was sooo yum. Only problem is my caramel didn’t fully set even after being in the fridge over night. Any ideas why?
Hi Elaine, I’m so sorry it didn’t set for you! Sounds like it didn’t cook long enough to get to that setting stage, try cooking slightly longer and I’m sure it will work. N x
I’ve been making Carmel slice for years! The hardest part is getting the caramel perfect. I’ve always used the same recipe until now!! I’ve made this one for Christmas Day and already making it again!!! So easy!!!! I love that I can use a 250g block of butter and no waste haha. It’s beautiful! Tastes great! Nice work 🙂
You nailed it Brooke! 🙌
If my base is slightly undercooked in the middle while other parts were risen up a bit, could the base be cooked when I add the second layer (the caramel bit) and bake it in the oven for 10-15 mins? Thanks a lot!
This will be the first time I make these and want them to turn out. Directions say to butter the pan and then line with parchment paper. Do you butter the pan, then add the paper? or line the pan and butter the paper?
Hi Maureen, I butter the pan so the paper sticks to the pan – N x