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Skillet Caramel Brownies

Skillet Caramel Brownies ready to be served.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Skillet Caramel Brownies are a decadent dessert of rich chocolate brownies and a center layer of gooey caramel. This delicious recipe tastes amazing satisfying all those sweet cravings and are no ordinary baked brownies.

Need more recipes for you dessert cuisine menu? For brownies try our Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie or if it’s caramel you’re after try our Caramel Apple Dump Cake.

Branded image of skillet caramel brownies.

Why we love Skillet Caramel Brownies

If ‘because it’s brownies and caramel’ isn’t a sufficient reason, these caramel brownies are a family favorite, no, a beloved family recipe.

It’s extra special because my grandma used to make these for the family and it was something we all looked forward to.

This isn’t your average boxed brownie mix recipe. Her brownie recipe starts with a German chocolate cake mix, adds evaporated milk, melted butter, and chopped walnuts.

The chopped walnuts give the brownies a bit of a crunchy texture. In the center of the brownies lies a luscious layer of caramel sauce.

Brownies served with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients to make caramel brownies: caramel candies or bits, evaporated milk, semi sweet chocolate chips, German chocolate cake mix, butter, and walnuts.
  • Cake Mix — use your favorite brand of German chocolate cake mix.
  • Caramel — you can use either chewy caramel candies like Kraft caramels, those individually wrapped squares, or caramel bits.
  • Pantry Staples — evaporated milk, semi sweet chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts.
  • Butter — we recommend using salted butter for greasing the pan and unsalted for the batter, but either will work

How to make Caramel Brownies

Step 1 — Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch skillet with the softened butter.
Step 2 — Add the dry cake mix, 1 cup of evaporated milk, melted butter, and the walnuts to a medium size bowl.
Step 3 — Mix everything together. The batter will be thick and kind of coarse looking.

Step 4 — Add half the batter to the prepared skillet, smooth it out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
Step 5— While the brownies are baking, in a medium sauce pan melt the caramels while mixing in 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Stir until well combined creating a thickened sauce.
Step 6 — After baking for 15 minutes, remove the brownies from the oven.

Step 7 — Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the half-baked brownies.
Step 8 — Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the chocolate chips, smoothing it out creating a complete layer.
Step 9 — Spoon the remaining brownie batter on top of the caramel layer in dollops. There’s no need to smooth it out. Bake for 25 minutes. Once done, allow it to completely cool before serving.

Skillet Caramel Brownies freshly baked from the oven.

Adaptations and variations

  • Cake mix — you could use a chocolate cake mix, devil’s food, or even a dark chocolate cake mix.
  • Chocolate chips — Swap out the semi-sweet for milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
  • Salt — For salted caramel, sprinkle a bit of kosher salt or flaky sea salt over the caramel before adding the rest of the brownie batter.
  • Caramel drizzle — you’ll have a tablespoon or two of evaporated milk left in the can, so reserve a couple of tablespoons of the caramel sauce when creating that layer. Add the remaining evaporated milk to that leftover caramel to thin it. This will make it perfect for drizzling over the cooked brownies, especially when topped with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe FAQs

Can I omit the walnuts?

Absolutely, they are not crucial to the recipe.

Can I use my own homemade caramel sauce instead of store bought caramel?

Yes!

Can I make the caramel sauce in the microwave?

Yes, use a microwave safe bowl and on medium power, melt the caramels into the evaporated milk, stopping frequently to stir.

How long will leftover brownies last?

Should you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can serve them chilled straight from the fridge or sit them out, allowing them to come to room temperature before serving.

Can I use a different baking dish to make these other than a skillet?

Yes, you can. Use a 9×13, 8×8, or 9×9 baking dish. Complete the recipe in the prepared baking dish the same way as you would in the skillet, including greasing it before adding the batter.

A section of caramel brownies removed from the skillet to show the inside.
Branded image of Skillet Caramel Brownies with caramel and chocolate chips garnishing.
A section of caramel brownies removed from the skillet to show the inside.
Print Recipe
5 from 21 votes

Skillet Caramel Brownies

Skillet Caramel Brownies are a decadent dessert of rich chocolate brownies and a center layer of gooey caramel.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Skillet Caramel Brownies
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 855kcal
Author: Ned Adams

Equipment

  • 10-inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp salted butter softened
  • 15.25 oz German chocolate cake mix
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped
  • 11 oz caramels squares or bits
  • cup evaporated milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch skillet with the softened butter.
  • Add the dry cake mix, 1 cup of evaporated milk, melted butter, and the walnuts to a medium size bowl. Mix everything together. The batter will be thick and kind of coarse looking.
  • Add half the batter to the prepared skillet, smooth it out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
  • While the brownies are baking, in a medium sauce pan melt the caramels while mixing in 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Stir until everything has combined to create a thickened sauce.
  • After baking for 15 minutes, remove the brownies from the oven and evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the half-baked brownies.
  • Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the chocolate chips, smoothing it out creating a complete layer..
  • Spoon the remaining brownie batter on top of the caramel layer in dollops. There’s no need to smooth it out.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Once done, allow it to completely cool before serving.

Notes

Make a caramel drizzle.
You’ll have a tablespoon or two of evaporated milk left in the can, so reserve a couple of tablespoons of the caramel sauce when creating that layer. Add the remaining evaporated milk to that leftover caramel to thin it. This will make it perfect for drizzling over the cooked brownies, especially when topped with vanilla ice cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 855kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 649mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 5mg

Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Did you try this recipe?Leave me a comment and rating below or Tag @DutchOvenDaddy on Instagram to show us your photos!

25 replies
  1. Christian
    Christian says:

    5 stars
    Love this. I make it all the time. Better served right when done. I usually take ingredients with me and make at party cause of that.

    Reply
  2. Chenee
    Chenee says:

    5 stars
    Skillet brownies are my favorite, especially in the summer months. You get to enjoy a sweet treat instead of heating up the house with the oven. Yum!

    Reply
  3. Andrea
    Andrea says:

    5 stars
    These irresistible and delicious brownies are so easy to make. I love that the recipe uses a cake mix and that I can use either type of caramels depending on which one I can find.

    Reply
  4. Anjali
    Anjali says:

    5 stars
    Making these skillet brownies out of cake mix was such a great idea!! Mine turned out perfectly, they were gooey, moist, and sweet – everything a brownie should be!

    Reply
  5. TAYLER ROSS
    TAYLER ROSS says:

    5 stars
    I was craving something sweet last night so I made these brownies. OMG were they delicious! Perfectly soft and chewy!

    Reply
  6. Ben
    Ben says:

    5 stars
    Man, I haven’t tried one of your recipes yet that wasn’t amazing. Made these last night, and I’m looking forward to finishing them off when the fam isn’t looking. LOL

    Reply
  7. Janie
    Janie says:

    5 stars
    I saw caramel and that’s all you had for me to make these! And they’re brownies too, I’m soo going to bake these!

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] sweet-tooth is craving a slightly less indulgent dessert, try our Skillet Snickerdoodle Cookie, Skillet Caramel Brownies, Chocolate-Butterscotch Skillet Brownies or Skillet Cookie […]

  2. […] Skillet Caramel Brownies to complete the perfect meal. […]

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