Sweet, buttery and creamy caramel with melty chocolate sandwiched between two layers of oat cookie bar, these carmelita bars are indulgent and delicious!
Ingredients
1cupflour
¾cupbutter12 tablespoons
1cupold fashioned oats
¾cupbrown sugar
½teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonsalt
30piecessoft caramelslike Kraft caramels
5tablespoonsheavy cream
1cupsemi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Make And Bake The Bottom Oat Layer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, melted butter, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt to make an oat crumb mixture. Keep mixing until all the flour is fully mixed in and not dry in the bowl.
Place half of the oat crumb mixture in the bottom of the 9 x 13 inch pan evenly Bake for 10 minutes until it just begins to turn golden brown.
Make The Caramel Sauce
Unwrap the soft caramels and place in a large bowl that is microwave safe with the heavy cream. Microwave caramels for one minute, then stir well. Continue microwaving in 30 second intervals and stirring in between until the caramel sauce is smooth. This process will take about three minutes total.
Layer The Bars
Sprinkle all chocolate chips in an even layer across the oat mixture.
Pour melted caramel over the chocolate chips evenly while still warm, and then sprinkle on remaining oat crumb mixture evenly across the bars.
Bake The Bars
Bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is starting to turn golden brown and caramel is bubbling on the sides. Allow the bars to cool completly, then slice and serve!
Notes
Tips And Swaps
You can butter or oil the pan you are using but the bars may stick to the pan. The caramel especially can become very sticky. I recommend using parchment paper so it releases easily once cooled. Baking spray like Wiltojns or Bakers Joy is also a great option if you have it.
Salted butter is fine in this recipe. If using unsalted butter add an extra 1/4 teaspoon to the mixture.
Half and half can be substituted for heavy cream in this recipe. Milk that is whole or at least 2% can also be substituted in a pinch, but the caramel will have a much less rich flavor. I do not recommend using milk that isn't at least 2% or using a dairy-free alternative in this recipe without making the caramel dairy-free from scratch. See further up the post for more information.
These bars are very gooey if you try to slice them while they are warm they won't hold their shape. Let them cool completely and even refrigerate them for a little while after they have cooled will help them hold a bar shape. Don't put the bars into the fridge until the pan is cool enough to hold with your hands.
How To Make Caramel Sauce In A Double Boiler
Unwrap the caramel squares and place them in the top pot of a double boiler. Add the heavy cream to the pot.
Fill the bottom pot of the double boiler with a shallow layer of water that is at least one inch deep
Put the top pot over the bottom and place on a burner over medium heat.
Melt the caramels, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. A smooth and creamy sauce will form after about 5-7 minutes of stirring.
Note- If your sauce becomes too thick, add a little more heavy cream a little at a time.