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Caramel Crunch Brownies

by Nick Makrides

These Caramel Crunch Brownies start with a deliciously rich brownie layer and are topped with a chewy layer of caramel coated cornflakes.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - hand holding bar

The toffee coated cornflake layer is chewy, crunchy, and satisfyingly sweet. It’s tasty and so easy to make! The brownie layer is rich, fudgy and so chocolatey! It all comes together to make a deliciously easy dessert bar that is so easy to throw together which makes them the perfect for dessert emergencies or bake sales!

Caramel Crunch Brownies - side by side

If you’re looking for more delicious brownie recipes check out my Fudgy Homemade Brownies, Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Pie Recipe or my Chocolate Chip Blondies for a vanilla option that is just as fudgy!

The things I love about these brownie bars!

  • Easy to make – there’s two recipes in this dessert bar. An easy brownie layer, and a no-bake caramel crunch layer.
  • Chewy, rich and crunchy! – the cornflake caramel layer is so delicious! The brownie layer is rich and chewy.
  • Perfect for bake sales – these will sell better than hotcakes!
  • Kids and adults will love them! The flavors are basic but so delicious. I gave Zoe a little piece and she would not leave the kitchen unless I have her more.
  • Not too tall so they’re easy to eat! I think moving forward, this will be a focus for future bar recipes!

Caramel Crunch Brownies - top down shot

Let’s Talk Toffee

There are 3 things I learned about making toffee that I want to share with you. If you’ve never made a dry toffee before (no water), it’s actually super easy to make and it tastes delicious! In this recipe it’s what binds everything in the cornflake layer and helps it set.

  • It can burn easily – don’t take your eyes off the toffee when making it. Cook on a medium low heat. Take your time. As soon as the sugar is melted take it off the heat and move to the next step immediately.
  • Stir very gently and slowly – a rigorous stir can cause sugar crystals to stick to the sides of your pot and they will burn or can cause your toffee to crystalize (turn into a big, solid sugar crystal).
  • Cook on a low, slow heat – there’s no speeding up this part of the recipe. It will take about 10 minutes to make the toffee. A low and slow heat will give the sugar time to melt and brown gently without burning.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - stacked on a plate with hand holding a bar

Ingredients You Need To Make Caramel Crunch Brownies

Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.

Jump to Recipe

Brownie Layer

Caramel Crunch Brownies - ingredients image 01

  • Brown sugar – I used regular brown sugar. You can use light. I would not recommend using dark brown sugar.
  • Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar is what I used but you can use granulated sugar as a substitute.
  • Butter – I used salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you like.
  • Dark chocolate – for this recipe, it’s important to use a good quality cooking chocolate. Cooking chocolate is specifically designed for baking and can be found in the baking isle of your supermarket.
  • Eggs – I used large eggs. Make sure they’re at room temperature! Don’t skip the egg yolk either because it helps make the brownie chewier!
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
  • Cocoa powder – I used Dutch process cocoa powder, but natural will work too.
  • Vanilla extract – much to my surprise you can taste the vanilla in the brownie layer which makes it even richer!

Caramel Crunch Brownies - ingredients image 02

Cornflake Layer

  • Sugar – I used granulated sugar. See my notes above for my notes on making the toffee layer.
  • Heavy cream – make sure your heavy cream (cream used for whipping) is hot before adding to the melted sugar otherwise it will splatter and overboil!
  • Butter – I used salted butter.
  • Vanilla ExtractAlways use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!
  • Cornflakes – I used kellogs cornflakes. Anything similar will work.

How to make Caramel Crunch Brownies!

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 1 and 2

  1. Add the brown sugar, sugar, butter and chocolate to a heatproof bowl.
  2. Microwave and stir until smooth and melted.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 3 and 4

  1. Add the eggs and stir.
  2. Add the remaining dry ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 5 and 6

  1. Add to wet ingredients.
  2. Stir.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 7 and 8

  1. Line 9×13 inch baking tin with baking paper.
  2. Dd batter and smoothen out.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 9

  1. Bake and allow to cool.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 10

  1. Add sugar to a saucepan and gently stir until melted and golden.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 11 and 12

  1. Add cream and stir.
  2. Add butter and stir.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 13 and 14

  1. Toffee will be smooth.
  2. Add cornflakes.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 15 and 16

  1. Stir until coated.
  2. Add to baked brownies.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - step 17 and 18

  1. Flatten out and allow to set for a couple hours.
  2. Once set, cut into bars.

Caramel Crunch Brownies - front on shot

Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!

  • Don’t skip the egg yolk! The egg yolk helps make these brownies richer and chewy. It’s a remarkable thing and works with cookie recipes too!
  • Store these in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They get chewier everyday!
  • Bake the brownie layer up to a day in advance.
  • When making the toffee, don’t take your eyes off it! It will burn easily. As soon as the sugar is melted and looks golden, take it off the heat and go to the next step.
  • Chill time is important when setting the cornflake layer to make it easier to slice up.

Frequently Asked Questions about Caramel Crunch Brownies

What does it taste like?

The toffee layer is delicious and crunchy. The brownie layer is chewy and so chocolatey! These dessert bars are the best of both worlds, not too tall and so easy to make!

How do I store this?

Store these in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They get chewier with each passing day!

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes! Simply halve the ingredients and use a square 8 x 8-inch cake tin. The toffee will not take as long to make. Just follow the same instructions and take off the heat when the sugar is melted and toffee is golden.

Can I use this recipe to just make brownies?

Yep! This brownie layer is my Chewy Chocolate Brownie Recipe minus the walnuts (a must in my opinion)! Grab the recipe here!

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

If you loved this recipe, check these out!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!

Caramel Crunch Brownies - pinterest image

Caramel Crunch Brownies - thumbnail

Caramel Crunch Brownies

These Caramel Crunch Brownies start with a deliciously rich brownie layer and are topped with a chewy layer of caramel coated cornflakes.

Serves 20

5 from 3 votes
Author: Nick Makrides
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Cool: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 288kcal
Author: Nick Makrides

Ingredients

Brownie Layer

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1 (110 g) stick 110g salted butter 110g salted butter
  • 3/4 cup (160 g) dark cooking chocolate chopped (see notes)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk see notes
  • 3/4 cup (115 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cornflake Layer

  • 1 ½ cups (315 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream hot
  • ½ cup (125 g) salted butter cut into pieces
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 7 cups (200 g) cornflakes


Instructions

Brownie Layer

  • Preheat your oven to 170C / 350F. Spray a 22cm x 33cm x 6cm / 9 x 13 x 2.25-inch baking tin with oil spray and line the bottom and sides with baking paper.
  • Add the brown sugar, white sugar, unsalted butter and chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Use a whisk to stir each time until melted and smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolk and whisk before adding the flour, cocoa powder and vanilla extract and mix.
  • Pour into your prepared baking tin and sprinkle with chopped chocolate. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool down completely.

Cornflake Layer

  • Add the sugar into a large sized saucepan and cook over low medium heat. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until melted and golden. Keep your eyes on it and take care not to burn the sugar which can happen very quickly!
  • Turn the heat off and add the hot cream, stir slowly until completely mixed in. Then add the butter and gently stir. Once mixed in, continue cooking on high heat for 5 minutes or until the caramel reaches a temperature of 120C / 250F.
  • Remove from the heat and add the cornflakes. Stir using a wooden spoon until all the cereal is coated. Pour on top of the brownies and spread out. Allow to set at room temperature before chilling in the fridge for 2 hours. Slice and serve.

Notes

Dark Cooking Chocolate - Using good quality chocolate is important in this recipe. I used semi-sweet / dark cooking chocolate. This is different to eating chocolate and is specially made for baking with. You can find cooking chocolate in the baking isle of your supermarket. 
Why the egg yolk?
The egg yolk helps make these brownies richer and chewy. It’s a remarkable thing and works with cookie recipes too!
Storage
These brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days. You can even freeze them. They don’t freeze solid, they just get super chewy. So delicious!
How to stop your baking paper from sticking to the sticky brownie batter as it bakes
It’s simple! Just use little metal clips. I bought mine from amazon. But you can find them anywhere. Just make sure they’re not coated in paint. The plain shiny metals ones are best.
Toffee Layer
  • It can burn easily - don’t take your eyes off the toffee when making it. Cook on a medium low heat. Take your time. As soon as the sugar is melted take it off the heat and move to the next step immediately.
  • Stir very gently and slowly - a rigorous stir can cause sugar crystals to stick to the sides of your pot and they will burn or can cause your toffee to crystalize (turn into a big, solid sugar crystal).
  • Cook on a low, slow heat - there’s no speeding up this part of the recipe. It will take about 10 minutes to make the toffee. A low and slow heat will give the sugar time to melt and brown gently without burning.
Nutrition - is based on per bar/slice.
A note on measurements - all ingredients in this recipe are offered in Australian cup measurements and weight measurements. Weight measurements are created by me, in my kitchen here in Melbourne Australia. The best way to get recipe success is to measure ingredients by weight, using kitchen scales.

Nutrition

Calories : 288kcal
Carbonhydrates: 38g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat : 4g
Trans Fat : 0.2g
Cholesterol: 54mg
Sodium: 121mg
Potassium : 74mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar : 25g
Vitamin A: 531IU
Vitamin C: 2mg
Calcium: 21mg
Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!

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1 comment

Nick Makrides April 6, 2023 - 9:14 am

5 stars
These bars are so deliciously chewy! N x

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