Caramel and Salted Nut Squares

There are so many versions of these layered types of squares, but this one is unique in the way that it uses a store-bought boxed cake mix for the base. You don’t need to bake the cake first! Deliciously sweet and sticky Caramel and Salted Nut Squares are so quick and easy to make!

Caramel is one of those things that you love or hate. There seem to be two schools of people when it comes to caramel. There are people that absolutely love it and can’t get enough of it. And, then there are those who don’t like it at all. Are there any in-between people? I really don’t get what’s not to love. It’s thick and gooey, sticky and sweet, and tastes buttery and creamy. And that, Dear Reader is just some of what you’ll get when you bite into one of these Caramel and Salted Nut Squares.

At first glance, you might think that this is just another version of a layered Magic Bar, but unlike that, this one has a base that is prepared with coconut, melted butter, and a box of store-bought cake mix! Loaded with salted nuts to help balance out the sweetness and to add texture, these squares have a whole can of sweetened condensed milk, which when baked, creates that caramel top that makes these squares so delicious.

I’m going to tell you all about this recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re getting closer to the big day, so it’s time to get to the bars and squares recipes! Before I get into today’s recipe, let me make mention of the previous holiday confection countdowns that I just finished up this year.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Trifle Series and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Breads and Loaves. My third series this year is the second volume of my 12 Bars and Squares of Christmas! You can find the first bars and squares series here! Before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 12 BARS AND SQUARES OF CHRISTMAS – Volume 2

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the third of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 12 Bars and Squares of Christmas – Volume 2! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family.

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 12 Bars and Squares of Christmas series! Even though this is the third series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Store-Bought Boxed Vanilla Cake Mix – You will use the powdered mix straight from the box. There is no need to prepare the cake as per the instructions on the package.
• Butter – Melt the butter fully and allow it to cool slightly.
• Coconut – Use unsweetened coconut to avoid an overly sweet square.
• White Chocolate Chips – I prefer to use mini chips, but regular works well too.
• Nuts – Use roasted, salted nuts. They balance the sweetness.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk

HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL AND SALTED NUT SQUARES

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper. Fold the parchment paper so that it fits snugly in the pan. I use two sheets – one folded to fit the length of the pan and another folded to fit across the pan. Allow the excess parchment paper to hang out over the side of the pan. Once the confection is firm, use the excess parchment to lift the whole block out of the pan to make it easy to cut into squares.

Add the boxed cake mix, coconut, and melted butter to a mixing bowl and use a fork to mix and combine. When the two are blended well enough, the mixture will resemble wet sand. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and gently press it into the pan to form an even layer. Sprinkle over the mixed salted nuts and mini white chocolate chips in an even layer. Pressing them down gently will ensure that you have a neater square that is easier to slice. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the nuts and chocolate so that there is an even layer covering the entire surface.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the outer perimeter of the squares are lightly golden brown. (It’s a good idea to check at the 20-minute mark. If the squares are getting too brown, you can loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.) Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the squares to fully cool. I like to place the baking pan onto a wire cooling rack and let it sit undisturbed for at least 2 hours before slicing. Once sliced, package and keep refrigerated.

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

I have a lot of recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen with sweetened condensed milk as one of the ingredients. (Click here to see them!) Growing up in Newfoundland, it was always something I’ve been aware of. But, that’s not the case for everyone. I get many questions from readers about it. For someone not familiar with the gooey, sticky canned milk, it might be easily confused with canned Carnation condensed milk, for instance. Let me explain what it is here.

So, first of all, it’s condensed. The milk is condensed by removing water. This can be accomplished by applying heat. The water will evaporate causing the milk to condense, which thickens the milk. Sugar is added to sweeten the condensed milk. The main purpose of adding sugar is to prolong the shelf life of condensed milk, which can sit on room-temperature shelves for years. Sugar prevents microorganisms from growing in the milk and helps to thicken it even further—it’s added after the milk has been boiled, reduced, and pasteurized.

If you find unsweetened condensed milk, it’s most likely that it’s simply evaporated milk or condensed milk, which is thick, but not gooey and sticky. Evaporated milk is often used as a cream added to tea or coffee. If you are unfamiliar with it, please read the can carefully. Also, shake it – can you feel the liquid splashing about inside the can? If so, it’s not sweetened condensed milk; it’s evaporated or condensed milk only!

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

Most no-bake confections are made without the need to freeze them for long periods of time, but they can be frozen. For this recipe, I have tested whether or not they can be frozen, and they certainly can! Once they are completely firm, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer-friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  You can freeze these for up to three months.

If you plan to give previously frozen bars or squares as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!