Bourbon Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars
We all know that salted caramel is absolutely divine, but have you ever tried bourbon salted caramel? It’s like salted caramel on steroids! These Bourbon Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars (say that 5x fast!) are a truly indulgent dessert. As the name suggests, they feature a buttery and mildly sweet shortbread base, which is topped with a thick, creamy, and ultra-flavorful bourbon caramel layer, which is further topped by a thin dark chocolate layer, and sprinkled with sea salt. The shortbread base is the perfect rich base to compliment the rich and complex bourbon caramel. The dark chocolate layer perfectly contrasts those rich, sweet flavors, bringing a nice balance to the Bourbon Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars. The best way to describe these? Decadently Divine.
Why Bourbon?
If you haven’t noticed by now, I quite enjoy adding bourbon to anything and everything that will take it! Adding spirits to food adds a phenomenal amount of flavor and dimension to whatever you’re making. Bourbon, is a oak-aged spirit that is distinctively sweet in flavor, and has vanilla, oak, and caramel notes. These flavors lend themselves so beautifully to something like caramel. By adding the bourbon we are further intensifying those already present flavors in the caramel (vanilla and caramel), while also providing a slight smoky undertone to it as well! The bourbon is that final touch, that je ne sais quoi flavor that people just can’t seem to put their finger on. It takes the Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars from good to mouth-wateringly delectable.
My personal favorite Bourbon is Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
How to Make the Shortbread Layer
Similar to making shortbread cookies or even sugar cookies, this layer starts with creaming butter and sugar together. Next, in goes the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat this all together to form a dough. Place this dough into a parchment lined baking pan and spread it out evenly with your hands. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the dough, and take a flat-bottomed item such as a glass and press down on the dough to ensure it is compact in the pan. Place this into the oven to bake, and when it is done gently press down any parts that have puffed up. Place onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
How to Make Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce
Although making caramel can be daunting, it is actually pretty straightforward. Throw the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk into a medium sized sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat and bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring throughout to combine the ingredients. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 20 minutes, ensuring that you are whisking it constantly (future apologies to your wrist!). When it is ready the mixture should be thick and amber-colored. Remove from heat, and whisk in the vanilla and the bourbon. It is now ready to be poured over the shortbread layer.
Making the Chocolate Glaze
Again, making this is quite easy – you just have to ensure proper heating of the chocolate to prevent seizing. Start by adding chocolate, corn syrup, and butter to a heat-proof bowl and placing it over a pot of simmering water, ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. It is important to note that the water should be simmering, not boiling. Stir the ingredients together until they are evenly melted and well-incorporated with each other. It is now ready to be poured over the cooled caramel layer.
Assembling the Bourbon Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars
Assembling these Bourbon Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars must be done properly to ensure distinct proper layers. While it requires no skill it does require a lot of hands-off waiting time! Start by pouring the hot bourbon salted caramel sauce over top of the cooled cooked shortbread layer that is still in the pan. Spread the caramel with a spatula to ensure an even layer and then place into the fridge for a few hours to cool completely. When the caramel is cold and solid, pour the hot chocolate glaze on top, spread evenly with spatula. Let the dish sit out at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle the top with sea salt. Now place back into the fridge for an hour or so to completely set. After all the layers have properly set, you can remove it from the pan and cut into squares!
Get the Recipe: Bourbon Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Layer
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly†
- Pinch of Salt
Bourbon Caramel Layer
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter,, cubed
- 1 cup Sugar
- 4 tbsp Light Corn Syrup
- 2 (14oz or 397g) cans of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3-4 tbsp Bourbon
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Paste
Chocolate Glaze Layer
- 8 oz (230g) High Quality Dark Chocolate (such as Lindt, etc),, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter,, cubed
- 1 tsp Coarse Flaky Sea Salt (like Maldon),, for sprinkling
Instructions
Shortbread Layer
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a 9×13” baking pan with parchment paper. Add flour and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, cream together sugar, butter, and vanilla, until just combined. Add dry ingredients and beat to combine until a crumbly dough forms.
- Place dough into baking pan and spread out evenly with your hands. Place a pieces of plastic wrap over top of the surface, then using a flat bottom glass press the dough down to flatten and compact the dough. Remove plastic and place into the oven for 20 minutes, or until it is golden. Remove from the oven and gently press down any puffed up parts. Transfer pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Bourbon Caramel Layer
- Add butter, sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk to a medium-large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down to medium-low. Continue to stir while the mixture simmers for the next 15-25 minutes (Yes, sadly you need to constantly stir the mixture, or else the caramel will begin to burn – good arm workout though haha!). When finished the caramel should be thick and amber-colored.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon (be careful as the caramel may bubble a bit when you add these). Pour the caramel over top of the cooled shortbread layer and smooth out with a spatula. Place into the fridge for a few hours to cool and set completely.
Chocolate Glaze Layer
- Place chocolate, corn syrup, and butter into a heat-proof bowl. Place bowl overtop of a pot of simmering water (not boiling), ensuring the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water. Stir the mixture until it is completely melted and well combined.
- Remove from heat and pour over the cooled caramel layer. Smooth out with a spatula and then allow to sit at room-temperature for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes sprinkle with sea salt and then place into the fridge for an hour or so to set completely.
- These shortbread bars should be enjoyed at room temperature or just a bit cooler than room temperature. If you leave them in the fridge for too long the caramel will harden quite a bit and be difficult to eat – so just make sure you take them out of the fridge (if storing there) a few hours before serving!)
Notes
Source: Adapted from Everyday Annie
Related Recipes
Looking for more bourbon recipes? Check these out below:
BROWNED BUTTER BOURBON BANANA BREAD. This banana bread is incredibly moist and flavorful, and is infused with bourbon to enhance those caramel and vanilla flavors!
APRICOT AND MINT BOURBON SMASH. This cocktail is the definition of summer! The apricot pairs beautifully with the warm bourbon flavors, which are contrasted by the bright aromatic mint.
SLOW COOKER BBQ PULLED CHICKEN SANDWICH. These awesome sandwiches feature slow cooked chicken that is smothered in a smokey, sweet Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce.
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These turned out fantastic!!!
I added more bourbon then was stated but that is just my preference.
These turned out fantastic!!!
I added more bourbon then was stated but that is just my preference.
The dark chocolate is perfect for the sweet center.
So glad you enjoyed!
For the shortbread layer, can I use confectioners sugar? Would it be the same quantity?
Hi there! Confectioners sugar has cornstarch added to it, so it cannot be substituted in this recipe! There are, however, recipes out there that do use confectioners sugar in shortbread. I suggest looking one of those up for the shortbread part! ☺️
How long can I store them? Would like to make them as a Birthday present
About a week in an airtight container in the fridge! Just make sure to bring them back up to room temp before eating otherwise the caramel will be too hard to eat!
Thank you!
Any tips on when is the best time to cut them so they turn out perfect like your pictures? I know if they are too cold the chocolate will crack — bad! If too soft, it will run — bad. Like Goldilocks, I want it just right!
I’m not sure on an exact time, but I would just begin checking at around 20 minutes in the fridge and then every so often after that! If the chocolate seems too hard when you go to cut, just allow it to warm up a bit before continuing!
So excited to try these! Will the chocolate layer be hard (like a compound chocolate) or gooey like a ganache? I’d like to make these for a friends party and am wondering if I could cut and individually wrap them to put in her basket. ?? Thank you!
Hi! The chocolate layer at room temperature will be on the slightly softer side – easy to bite into, but not gooey. If you wanted a harder chocolate, I’d recommend just doing a 100% chocolate layer, rather than the chocolate mixed with the butter, etc.