I have a great recipe for you today that is easy to make and will give you a great new option for your holiday cookie trays. Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars!
I was recently asked by McCormick to be a part of their Seconal Seven Flavors Holiday Program. So many of our favorite flavors of the holiday season center around seven different flavors… nutmeg, ginger, sage, vanilla, peppermint, poultry seasoning and cinnamon.
I get to represent cinnamon, something I use all of the time (hello, cinnamon rolls!).
I have a few great recipes to share with you in the coming days using cinnamon (and a few other of the Seasonal Seven Flavors). But for today I want to share this amazing Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars recipe. I usually stick to a lot of chocolate and peppermint at the holidays, which is what makes this bar really shine – it is such a wonderful flavor combination that can add some really nice variety to your dessert table or cookie tray.
And being a bar cookie, it’s quick and easy to make. You start with your base bar recipe, and bake half of the dough in your pan. While you are baking the base for your bars, you melt and prepare your caramel.
You pull your bars out, pour on your yummy caramel and then top with the remaining dough.
Back into your oven it goes.
And out comes these amazingly delicious caramel filled bars.
We loved these. As I said, they are a really delightful change from all of the cookies and bars with chocolate (not that I don’t love chocolate, but you know that!). Highly recommend this recipe. Can’t wait to share a few more recipes with you using the Seasonal Seven!
Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons McCormick® Cinnamon Ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 package 14 ounces caramels, unwrapped
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Mix brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and pecans in large bowl until well blended. Add flour mixture; mix well. Reserve 1 cup of the batter. Spread remaining batter into lightly greased foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes or until firm.
- 2. Microwave caramels and milk in microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after every minute. Cool 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over baked layer in pan, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges. Drop reserved 1 cup batter by spoonfuls over caramel layer. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.
- 3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan. Cut into bars.
- Test Kitchen Tip: Line pan with foil with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Use foil handles to remove baked dessert from pan. Place on cutting board and cut into bars.
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Kathy says
The recipe calls for 14-ounce package of caramels. I can only find a 11-ounce package. Should I use a 11-once package or figure out how much would be in a 14-ounce package?
Christi Johnstone says
You can use the 11 ounce package. If you wanted you could get a second package and use about 1/3 of it, but this recipe will be fine with the 11 ounces. This recipe is from back in 2012, so I’m guessing the package size has shrunk a bit.
Sharon Anderson says
Can your cinnamon caramel swirl bars be frozen ??- they sound wonderful
Christi says
Sharon, I’ve never tried, sorry!
P says
L-L-Love this recipe! If I make it in a pan as you say.. how do I get them circular? did you carve them out when hot? Yum Yum Yummmm!
Christi says
P – I cut most of my bars and brownies out with round cookie cutters. 🙂
Melly says
Yummy! I love cinnamon and may just have to make those for a Christmas party! Quick question, though: what are the dimensions of your pan? I wouldn’t want to use one too small and end up with bars too thick.
Amy J says
Added these to my favorites file! Love cinnamon…and caramel…they look amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
How much do I love that gooey center? OMG I’m dying for these!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
I absolutely adore cinnamon and caramel together–the combination is magical, in my humble opinion 🙂 these bars look fantastic!
Karly says
I made these a couple months ago and they are DIVINE. 🙂
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
These look fabulous! Awesome idea!
Lori Williams says
These look and sound amazing!! Can’t wait to be able to buy what I need to make them. Thanks for sharing!