Crunchy Peanut Caramel Bars
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sweet bars with a crunchy peanut caramel topping over a buttery shortbread base. The base is a tender mix of flour, sugar, and butter baked till golden. The caramel comes from sugar boiled with water and golden syrup, mixed with sweetened condensed milk, butter, and salt. Roasted peanuts stir in, spread on base, baked again. Optional dark chocolate splashes set on top. Chilled till firm, then cut into squares. Keeps up to a week at room temp in airtight container.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
40 min
Total:
Servings:
30 squares
#dessert
#snack
#French cuisine
#baking
Baking with layers, textures collide. crumbly shortbread laying down a buttery base, delicate yet firm enough. sugar waits, melting slowly after simmering with watery syrup, turning golden caramel magic. sweetened milk joins, thickens as it cools, brings softness. peanuts toss in, for a punch of roasted grit in all that sugar. chocolate – optional – splashes, dark and bitter. cool takes patience, cooling bars till firm, clean slicing follow. treats stack in containers, last for days, maybe a week. little bites of sweet, salty, crunchy. hand-held indulgence. No fuss but big crunch. Flavor hits quick, lingers. Great for sharing or solo snack. Simple ingredients, old-school feel, with a twist on timing and texture. Fast enough but worth the wait. Storage easy. Style French-Canadian influenced, but anyone’s kitchen. Variables in syrup swapped for golden, sugar toned down. peanut count fewer but still generous.
Ingredients
Shortbread Base
- 210 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 40 g (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 120 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
Peanut Caramel
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) water
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) golden syrup
- 1 can 300 ml (10 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
- 225 g (1 1/2 cups) dry roasted unsalted peanuts
Optional Topping
- 70 g (2 1/2 oz) dark chocolate, melted and tempered
About the ingredients
Flour adjusted down to 210 grams to lighten the base without losing structure. Sugar reduced slightly to keep balance between sweet and savory. Butter quantity scaled back a bit but still soft for working into dough. Golden syrup swapped for corn syrup to shift subtle flavor profile—less sweet, more caramel-like notes. Peanuts reduced to 225 grams from 300 grams for better caramel coating and texture. Salt remains important to counterbalance sweetness. Dark chocolate optional but preferred for contrast. Sweetened condensed milk unchanged for richness. Water adjusted less to maintain caramel consistency and prevent burning. Ideal if nuts roasted fresh, unsalted for true flavor punch, no extra salt added. All ingredients practical and widely available, no specialty items needed. Butter always softened to blend easily. Golden syrup or clear corn syrup crucial for proper caramel texture, no substitutes. Flour should be unbleached for best flavor.
Method
Shortbread Base
- 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 175°C (345°F). Butter a 35 x 25 cm (14 x 10 inch) baking pan.
- 2. Mix flour and sugar in a bowl. Add butter, press with wooden spoon until crumbly. Use hands to press dough firmly into pan bottom.
- 3. Bake about 15 minutes or until light golden on edges. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Peanut Caramel
- 4. Combine sugar, water, and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Without stirring, heat until sugar melts and turns light amber caramel.
- 5. Remove from heat. Carefully stir in condensed milk, butter, and salt. Beware of splatters.
- 6. Fold in peanuts. Spread caramel evenly over baked crust using spatula.
- 7. Return to oven and bake about 20 minutes.
- 8. Remove and cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.
Optional Topping
- 9. Spoon melted chocolate over cooled top in random splatters.
- 10. Let chocolate set at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 11. Cut into squares and serve.
- 12. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Cooking tips
Start with oven at 175°C placing rack mid-level for even baking. Butter pan thoroughly to prevent sticking, helps with cleanup. Mix flour and sugar dry first for even incorporation; wooden spoon handy for cutting butter, hands finish pressing dough into pan. Bake 15 minutes just till edges tone, no overbrowning. Caramel requires patience—medium-high heat, no stirring sugar until caramel color dawns or risk grainy results. Remove promptly to add condensed milk and butter off heat to avoid scorching; stir gently but fully. Add peanuts last, fold carefully so all coated, spread evenly. Caramel bake extended to 20 minutes to set fully without over hardening. Cooling crucial: no slicing hot or warm bars or topping won’t hold. Optional chocolate drizzle easy once fully cooled; let set naturally to avoid bloom. Cut edges neatly with sharp knife for uniform squares. Bars keep well in airtight container at room temperature. Accurate timing and careful mixing give best balance of crunchy and chewy textures. Watch sugar closely during caramel stage; temperature changes affect final results. Versatile steps, adapt pan size but keep thickness similar.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Oven temp critical. Keep at 175°C. Missteps lead to uneven baking. Don't forget to check edges, they should be light golden, crisp, not dark.
- 💡 Shortbread base crucial. Mix flour first. Sugar blends in next. Butter last, keep it soft for mixing. Press firmly into pan, no gaps, easy.
- 💡 Temperature on caramel matters. Sugar and heat need focus. No stirring until light amber appears. Remove quickly for easy mixing with milk.
- 💡 Let bars cool completely before slicing. Warm bars lead to messy cuts. Make sure chocolate drizzle is also set before storing in containers.
- 💡 Storage is key. Use airtight to keep bars fresh, avoid softening. Room temp works best but can chill if prefer firmer bites.
Common questions
Can I use different nuts?
Yes you can. Almonds, walnuts work. They will change flavor though. Adjust texture and crunch. Choices vary.
What if caramel doesn't set?
Reheat gently. Add some milk, stir, try again. Watch temp closely next time. Not too hot or cold.
Can I freeze these bars?
Yes, wrap tightly. Freeze for longer storage. Just remember to thaw properly. Slowly is best, keep texture.
What if base is too crumbly?
Add small amount of melted butter. Mix until better cohesion happens. Can use more if too dry.
