Caramel Dessert Recipes - Southern Living

Double Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

These indulgent bars are filled with toasted chopped pecans and semisweet chocolate morsels, and topped with a warm Caramel Frosting. What more can you ask out of a brownie?

Recipe: Double Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

Caramel Cream Cake

Enjoy tender coconut-pecan cake layers filled with pecan pie filling. The top and sides of the cake are spread with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with toasted coconut and pecans for an impressive (but super-easy) finish.

Recipe: Caramel Cream Cake

Pecan-Caramel Crunch Ice Cream

Praline lovers: This is your ice cream. Packed with crunchy bits of a homemade caramel crisp, this cream mixture has a caramel flavor and caramel topping.

Recipe: Pecan-Caramel Crunch Ice Cream

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Caramel-Pecan Pie

One bite of rich and gooey Caramel-Pecan Pie, and you’ll be thankful you tried this recipe.

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Pie

Death by Caramel Bars

These showy brownies are nice and tall, with pockets of soft caramel. They are wicked enough on their own, but for an over-the-top dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Recipe: Death by Caramel Bars

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Salted Caramel-Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes may well be the ultimate in cupcake decadence with cream cheese and butter in the cake batter, a chocolate toppping, and then a caramel-cream cheese frosting with flaked salt. You'll see that salt really does bring out the flavor of the sweet.

Recipe: Salted Caramel-Chocolate Cupcakes

Caramel-Apple Muffins

Sautéed apple slices baked beneath the batter turn these special muffins into miniature apple upside-down cakes. The same recipe also makes two luscious loaves of apple bread – perfect for fall picnics and tailgating.

Recipe: Caramel-Apple Muffins

Jennifer Davick / Styling Buffy Hargett / Food Styling Angela Sellers

Caramel-Pecan Tart

Surprisingly easy to make, this pecan and caramel dessert recipe pairs the cookie-like crispness of shortbread with a buttery-rich brown sugar-and-honey topping.

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Tart

Caramel Apple-Pear Cobbler with Oatmeal Muffin Crust

No rolling pin required for this company-worthy cobbler! Sauté the apples and pears in brown sugar and butter, then pour on the crust and bake.

Recipe: Caramel Apple-Pear Cobbler With Oatmeal Muffin Crust

Candy Bar Pie

A deliciously sweet filling made with chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel is the perfect match for the salty crunch of an over-the-rim pretzel crust. Pottery pie plates, like this pretty blue dish, vary in size and shape, so we don’t often use them for baking – but they do make colorful serving pieces and most are large enough to hold a 9-inch glass pie plate.

Recipe: Candy Bar Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Leigh Anne Montgomery

Salted Caramel Strawberries

Simple yet elegant, these sweet and salty confections are sure to impress your guests at a party. A hint of salt added to melted caramel creates a wonderful flavor combination on top of one of summer’s best fruits. Cover with chopped mixed nuts for an extra crunch and beautiful presentation.

Recipe: Salted Caramel Strawberries

More Strawberry Recipes

Photo Jim Franco / Styling Lynda White / Food Styling Simon Andrews

Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings

Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings are a great way to use the delicious, seasonal flavor of pumpkin. If you're short on time (or dishes) you can make this recipe in a 13- x 9-inch casserole just as easily.

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings

Caramel-Pecan Oatmeal Bars

When you’re in the mood for cookies, try one of chocolate-filled, caramel-topped treats. They are easy to make, especially with the head start of a cake mix. Serve with a cold glass of milk.

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Oatmeal Bars

Caramel Pound Cake

Caramel lovers will rave about this decadent dessert. We’ve topped the moist cake with sinfully sweet Caramel Frosting.

Recipe: Caramel Pound Cake

Caramel Custard

Don’t be intimidated by making custard; give it a water bath and you’re sure to have a delicious dessert for entertaining. You’d never know it’s a light recipe.

Recipe: Caramel Custard

Brandy-Caramel Sauce

This sauce is super easy—no worrying about scorching the sugar as with traditional caramel sauces. It's also terrific without the brandy. Serve it atop Ice-Cream Puffs or your favorite ice cream or cake.

Recipe: Brandy-Caramel Sauce

Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Bars

These delicious bars combine two of our dessert favorites: cheesecake and caramel. The Quick Caramel Icing also tastes great on Chocolate-Caramel Sheet Cake; make both cakes for a special dessert presentation, as pictured.

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Southern-Style Caramel Apples

Branch out and get creative with some of our favorite caramel apple toppings. Please note: We used Southern magnolia twigs; other branches may render the apples inedible. When in doubt, use craft sticks or large pretzel sticks.

Recipe: Southern-Style Caramel Apples

Spiced Caramel-Apple Bread Pudding

This spice-filled bread pudding is significantly lower in sugar and fat than traditional versions. Drizzle with Toasted Pecan-Caramel Sauce, and indulge.

Recipe: Spiced Caramel-Apple Bread Pudding

Caramel Apples

These gourmet apples are double dipped in melted chocolate and caramel, then rolled in toasted pecans. For an even quicker treat using caramel apple wraps, try our Candy Apples.

Recipe: Caramel Apples