Description
Indulge in the gooey, decadent goodness of these irresistible Carmelitas. A buttery oat and chocolate chip cookie crust layered with rich caramel and topped with more crumbly oat mixture. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth cravings!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 1 (11 oz) bag caramel bits or 1½ cups soft caramels
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Mix Crust: In a large bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt to form a crumbly dough.
- Bake Crust: Press half of the dough into the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Prepare Filling: While crust bakes, melt caramel bits with heavy cream in a saucepan until smooth.
- Layer and Bake: Remove crust from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Pour melted caramel over the top, then crumble remaining dough on top. Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden.
- Cool and Slice: Cool at room temperature or chill before cutting into bars.
Notes
- Refrigerate bars before cutting for easier slicing.
- Nuts can be omitted or substituted with dark chocolate chips.
