24 Hour Caramel Brownies are homemade brownies with a layer of caramel baked in between and topped with chocolate morsels. But, 24 hours to wait before you can dive into these brownies? Yes. Is it worth it? YES. And if you happen to love over-the-top decadent brownie creations, try my Toasted Marshmallow Brownies!
Ingredients & Substitutions
There are two parts to this recipe–the layer of caramel and the brownies. You will need two 8-inch baking dishes lined with parchment paper, one for the caramel and one for the layered brownies.
Brownies: This recipe starts with my best brownie recipe. And then, a thick layer of homemade caramel is placed in between two brownie layers.
Butter: Unsalted Challenge butter is used in both the brownies and the caramel. I opted for Challenge Butter for the best results. Challenge Butter is made the old-fashioned way, churned fresh daily from the freshest milk and cream from happy cows at family-owned dairies since 1911. (I also used Challenge Butter in my Kentucky Butter Crunch Cake and Buttery Bubble Bread, which are two recipes you will have to try after you have made these brownies.)
Coffee: Whether you like coffee or not, caffeine does something amazing to brownies. Caffeine (specifically in dark coffee or espresso) enhances the flavor of chocolate and boosts the richness of the brownie without adding a coffee flavor. So simply put, the coffee makes your brownies taste brownier. Science. In a pinch, you could use decaf coffee as well, preferably one with a strong flavor. If you are unable to use coffee, you can use water.
Chocolate: Use semi-sweet chocolate morsels or chunks for both the brownie batter and to sprinkle on top of the brownies. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate morsels.
Do I Have to Wait 24 Hours to Enjoy These Brownies?
Well, as I have stated in the past, you don’t have to do anything. But, in this case, there is a reason the brownies are called 24 Hour Brownies. Chilling the brownies will help keep their form, thickness, and distinct layers when cut. In addition, I prefer the taste of the brownies after they have been chilled.
What If I Don’t Chill the Brownies?
If you just don’t have the patience to wait to cut into the ooey-gooey brownies (which I understand), this is your warning…the brownies will fall apart and end up flat. But, they are still definitely edible (SO YUM) but you need a spoon. If that is the consistency you want, just scoop the brownies into a bowl and enjoy! (But then promise you’ll refrigerate them and try them chilled, too…)
Just in case you don’t believe me on the ooey-gooey factor – here is a picture of the brownies that have NOT chilled. ⬇️ These were left out at room temperature for 6 hours.
How to Store 24 Hour Brownies
To store 24 Hour Brownies, store them in an airtight container. They will last up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze the brownies for up to 3 months.
More Brownie Recipes
24 Hour Caramel Brownies
Ingredients
Caramel
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 170 g) Challenge butter, unsalted
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Brownies
- 3 tablespoons brewed coffee
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Challenge butter, unsalted
- 1 ½ cups (265 g) semi-sweet chocolate morsels, or chunks
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Caramel
- Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter and sugar. Stir occasionally until butter is melted.
- Add corn syrup and condensed milk. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low, stirring constantly.
- Simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly until the caramel mixture reaches a deep golden color and thickens slightly.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the caramel into an 8×8-inch baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. You will want the parchment paper to go up and over the edges for easy removal. Place the dish in the freezer for 20-25 minutes as you prepare the brownie batter.
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Brew a cup of coffee. You will only need 3 tablespoons in this recipe. (Enjoy the rest!)
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and coffee. Cook over medium heat until boiling.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate morsels until melted and smooth. (Do not be worried if chocolate looks like it's seized; it will relax when the egg is added.)
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Pour half of the brownie batter into the lined baking dish (approximately 1 ¼ cups).
- Take the caramel out of the freezer. Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove the caramel from the pan and flip it over on top of the bottom layer of the brownie batter.
- Top the caramel layer with the remaining brownie batter. Sprinkle with chocolate morsels or chunks (optional).
- Bake 38-42 minutes or until edges start to pull away from the pan.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight (don't skip this!) and serve cold.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
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My mouth is literally watering…
For the Challenge butter, is Challenge the brand name?
Hi, Jodie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Yes, Challenge is the brand of butter. Have a wonderful day!
I made these brownies and they are amazing, however they did collapse in the center while cooling.
Not sure why it did this or what I did wrong.
Any suggestions?
I love your recipes and have made many of them.
So glad you enjoyed them! Yes, the center does relax after cooling… that is because of all the caramel. It’s too dense to allow the brownies to stay risen. You didn’t do anything wrong!! Did you get a chance to try them at room temp or were they chilled??? I’m so curious! 🙂
Hi just wondering if you can freeze them once baked?? I’m sure you would be able to but need to double check with you. Thanks so much
Yes, you can!
Best brownie ever. However, when I took it out of the oven and it started to cool it sank in the center. What did I do wrong and what can I do next time to prevent it.
Thank you
Barbara
Chilled. Gave them to all my neighbors and they loved them
Would only eat them chilled.
I posted question twice, sorry🤦♀️
I answered here because reply. Button would not work
Can your make these brownies 2 days ahead and just keep them in the refrigerator?
My husband and I made these brownies. He is a chocoholic and he swears these are the best brownies ever. I will leave the caramel in the freezer a little longer next time to make it easier to get off the parchment (not that I didn’t scrape it off and eat that myself). Rave reviews from everyone we gave them to. Will make again…and again.
Thrilled to hear it, Valerie!
Why couldn’t the caramel be poured directly onto the half the brownie batter? What does chilling it in one solid sheet gain over pouring it directly onto the batter? I’m wondering whether the chilled caramel prevents the middle from baking thoroughly and that’s why the collapse. I plan to make this recipe this week, so I’m just trying to wrap my head around the reason for the procedure. Thank you!
Hi Autumn! That is where I started with the recipe. I could not get it to work, no matter how many different variations I tried. It was a MESS. (huge mess) I know it seems like this way is more complicated, but it really is easier. Promise!
I have made these a few times now. They are delicious. But I’m not consistent with the caramel. What am I doing wrong when the butter separates while stirring the caramel?
Same!!! Making as we speak and the butter isn’t incorporating at ALL with the rest! Exactly why I’m here searching for similar comments! Wishing I would have just used my own caramel recipe for this as I already am not a fan of condensed milk flavor in the first place 😭 This caramel is gritty, cloudy, ugly with excessive amount of butter just floating on top. Butter sloshing around every time I attempt to stir! No matter the level of heat nothing improved. It said wait to get the golden caramel or whatever but even the caramel in the pic is white…. Put it on the parchment paper after like 25 min of waiting and trying to mix, but it’s got a thick layer of butter floating on the top in the freezer. Really bummed!!! Feels wasteful of the stick & a half of butter!
Sounds like you may have run into some technical issues. One or some of these may have contributed:
Temperature Control:
Caramelizing sugar and butter requires careful control of heat. If the heat is too low, the sugar might not melt and combine with the butter properly, leading to separation. On the other hand, too high of a heat can cause the caramel to burn or the butter to overheat and separate.
2. Stirring Technique:
Stirring too vigorously or too infrequently can also cause the mixture to separate. Gentle, consistent stirring is usually best to ensure the butter and sugar combine smoothly.
3. Quality of Ingredients:
The quality of butter can sometimes affect the outcome. Lower quality butter with a higher water content might not incorporate as well, leading to separation.
4. Order of Ingredient Addition:
The order in which the ingredients are added can impact the final result. If the butter was added too early or too late in the process, it might not incorporate properly.
5. Condensed Milk Flavor:
You mentioned you are not a fan of condensed milk, which might have affected your perception of the final product. However, this is more of a preference issue than a technical problem.
Suggestions for Improvement:
Re-evaluate the Temperature: Make sure to caramelize the sugar and butter over medium heat, and don’t rush the process. If the mixture seems to be separating, lowering the heat and stirring more gently might help.
Check the Stirring Technique: Stir the mixture gently and consistently to help the ingredients combine smoothly.
Use High-Quality Butter: Ensure the butter used is of good quality, preferably unsalted, with a low water content.
Follow the Recipe Closely: Make sure to add the ingredients in the order specified by the recipe and in the correct proportions.
It’s unfortunate you had a negative experience, but these adjustments could help prevent similar issues in the future.