Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars Recipe

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars are rich, buttery dessert bars with a crisp cookie crust, a chewy caramel walnut topping, and a smooth layer of melted chocolate. They are easy to make, simple to slice, and always popular for parties, holidays, bake sales, or a sweet treat with coffee or tea.

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars with caramel, walnuts, and chocolate topping

This recipe is made with milk chocolate and chopped walnuts, but it is very flexible. You can use dark chocolate, white chocolate, or your favorite chocolate bar. The walnuts can also be swapped for other nuts you enjoy, such as cashews, pecans, or almonds.

The texture is what makes these chocolate caramel walnut bars so delicious. The base is crisp and buttery, the caramel layer is soft and chewy, and the nuts add a lovely crunch. Once the chocolate sets on top, every slice has the perfect balance of cookie, caramel, nuts, and chocolate.

These bars are also a great make-ahead dessert. Once cooled and sliced, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh for at least a couple of days, although they are usually eaten long before then. For longer storage, place the bars in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them until needed.

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars sliced and ready to serve

If you are preparing desserts for Christmas, Thanksgiving, a family gathering, or a party tray, these chocolate caramel walnut bars are a reliable choice. They slice neatly once chilled and are easy to serve in small squares or larger dessert portions.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

50 minutes

Yield

Makes one 9-inch square pan. Cut into 16 bars or slice to your preferred size.

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 cup / 225 g unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup / 130 g brown sugar
2 ⅔ cups / 330 g all-purpose / plain flour
½ teaspoon salt

For the Topping

½ cup / 110 g unsalted butter
1 cup / 200 g light brown sugar
⅓ cup / 110 g honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups / 290 g chopped walnuts, or another nut of your choice
7 oz / 200 g milk chocolate, or another chocolate of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C / gas 4. Line a 9-inch square pan with kitchen foil or parchment paper, leaving extra over the sides so you can lift the bars out easily after baking.

The Crust

2. Add the flour, salt, butter, and brown sugar to a mixer or food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms fine crumbs.

3. Tip the crust mixture into the prepared pan. Press it down firmly and evenly to create a compact base. Bake for 30 minutes.

Baked cookie crust for Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars

The Filling

4. Add the butter, honey, brown sugar, and heavy cream to a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until melted and combined. Let the mixture gently simmer for about 1 minute, then stir in the chopped walnuts.

Caramel walnut mixture for Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars

5. Remove the hot crust from the oven. While the crust is still warm, pour the caramel walnut filling over the top and spread it evenly so the whole surface is covered.

6. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.

7. Allow the caramel walnut bars to cool completely in the pan. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth.

Chocolate broken into pieces for melting

Melted chocolate for Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars

8. Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled caramel walnut layer. Spread it evenly with a spatula and leave the bars in the pan until the chocolate is fully set.

Adding chocolate layer to Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars

9. To speed up setting, place the pan in the fridge for about 1 hour or in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Once cold, lift the slab from the pan using the parchment or foil edges and slice into bars.

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars cut into slices

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars stacked for serving

These chocolate caramel walnut bars are a wonderful homemade sweet treat. Try them as written, or make them your own with a different chocolate or nut combination.

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars with chocolate and walnuts

Recipe Card

Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars

Yield:
16

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
50 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 10 minutes

Easy Chocolate Caramel Walnut Bars with a buttery cookie crust, chewy caramel walnut topping, and smooth chocolate layer. A delicious homemade dessert bar for parties, holidays, and sweet snack trays.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 cup or 225 g unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup or 130 g brown sugar
2 ⅔ cups or 330 g all-purpose / plain flour
½ teaspoon salt

For the Topping:

½ cup or 110 g unsalted butter
1 cup or 200 g light brown sugar
⅓ cup or 110 g honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups or 290 g chopped walnuts, or another nut of your choice
7 oz or 200 g milk chocolate, or another chocolate of your choice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C / gas 4. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang at the sides for easy lifting.
Add the flour, salt, butter, and brown sugar to a mixer or food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Press the crust mixture firmly into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
In a saucepan, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Stir over medium heat, then gently simmer for about 1 minute.
Stir the chopped walnuts into the caramel mixture.
Pour the walnut caramel filling over the hot crust and spread it evenly.
Bake for another 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled bars and spread evenly.
Chill until set, then lift from the pan and slice into bars.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 711
Total Fat: 44g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Unsaturated Fat: 28g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Sodium: 90mg
Carbohydrates: 74g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 37g
Protein: 10g