Milky Way Brownies

Got leftover trick-or-treat Milky Way bars taking up space? This brownie recipe turns them into something better than the candy itself. Four chocolate-caramel-nougat bars get melted with butter into a base, then sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour fold in to create brownies with built-in caramel pockets and chocolate ribbons.

The chocolate, caramel, and nougat layers of the bars don’t fully homogenize during melting. That’s the whole trick. The caramel stays slightly distinct, swirling through the batter like a natural marble, and bakes into chewy pockets that surprise you with every bite.

Whisking the butter and bars together over low heat as written prevents the caramel from scorching. Rush this and you’ll get a bitter, burnt-sugar flavor instead of the gooey caramel ribbons. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert.

Pro Tips

• Slice the Milky Way bars before melting. Smaller pieces melt evenly without scorching.
• Use a wire whisk to break up stubborn caramel chunks as the bars melt. Patience here pays off in smooth batter.
• Add eggs one at a time as written. Adding all at once will cool the warm chocolate too quickly and seize the mixture.
• Don’t overbake. 25 minutes for a chewy center with set edges. Longer and you’ll lose the fudgy texture.

Variations

• Swap Milky Way bars for Snickers, Mars bars, or Three Musketeers for different candy bar profiles.
• Fold in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for textural contrast against the chewy caramel.
• Top with a drizzle of caramel sauce and flaky sea salt after cooling for a salted caramel brownie.