Salted Cashew Caramel Bars Recipe

By
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is the former national editor at Serious Eats, with a focus on all things sweet.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Apr. 15, 2020
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Buttery shortbread is topped with salted cashews and gooey caramel. Warning: Bet you can't have just one.

Recipe Facts

4.7

(6)

Active: 40 mins
Total: 3 hrs 40 mins
Serves: 36 servings

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Ingredients

For Base:

  • 2 cups (about 10 ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 cup (about 7 ounces) sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups (about 10 1/2 ounces) sugar

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, roughly cut into pieces

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups salted roasted cashews

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with foil. Grease foil with butter. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color, about 4-5 minutes. Beat in egg, then vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture in two additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time.

  3. Place dough in prepared pan. Using either floured hands or a piece of plastic wrap, press dough evenly into the bottom of the greased baking pan. Let chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

  4. Bake crust until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove crust, but keep oven on. Let crust cool completely. While crust is cooling, make filling.

  5. Place sugar in a nonstick saucepan over medium high heat. Let stand until bottom layer of sugar begins to melt, then start stirring, continuing to stir until sugar has turned light brown in color and smooth in texture. Pour in heavy cream, being careful of it splattering. Stir constantly until mixture is smooth again, about 5 minutes. Turn down heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and salt. Take mixture off heat and stir in cashews. Pour mixture into pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

  6. Let mixture cool for at least two hours or until set. When firm to the touch, cut into bars. Bars can be kept in the refrigerator for easier cutting.

Special equipment

electric mixer, 13- by 9- baking pan, foil, saucepan

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
180 Calories
10g Fat
21g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 180
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 83mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 40mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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