Carmelitas are the ultimate chocolate caramel bars! They’re gooey, chewy, and bursting with caramel and chocolate flavor, all surrounded by chewy oatmeal! Top it off with some ice cream for the ultimate dessert bar!
Why We Love This Carmelitas Recipe
These chocolate and caramel oatmeal bars—often called Carmelitas—are incredibly gooey and chewy, loaded with sweet caramel and melty chocolate, and finished with a hearty oatmeal crust. They can be a little messy to eat, but that’s part of their charm. The oats provide structure while keeping the texture satisfying.
Cutting the bars cleanly can be tricky because of the soft caramel layer. A helpful trick is to chill or briefly freeze the pan after the bars have cooled; this firms the layers just enough to make slicing easier. Reheat individual pieces in the microwave and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent treat.
The contrast of warm caramel and chocolate with cold ice cream creates an indulgent dessert that’s sure to please a crowd.
FAQs
Melt caramels over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly for an even, smooth sauce. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second bursts on high, stirring between each burst until smooth and pourable.
Store the bars covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. For easier slicing, freeze briefly after cooling and cut while slightly firm; reheat individual servings as needed.
Freezing firms the gooey caramel just enough to make cleaner slices. Caramel softens when warm and can be messy; chilling makes handling and serving much easier.
More Caramel Recipes To Try
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Peanut Butter Caramel Brownies
- Banana Pecan Scones with Caramel Icing
- Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Caramel Icing
- Caramel Pretzel Sticks
- Salted Caramel Sauce
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Carmelita Chocolate Caramel Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 c butter melted
- 3/4 c packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 c old fashioned oats
- 1/2 c flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 c chocolate chips
- 1 11 oz pkg caramels
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 c whole milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with foil and coat with butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl combine melted butter, brown sugar, rolled oats, flour, baking soda, and vanilla.
- Press half of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, melt the caramels with the pinch of salt and the milk or cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until smooth.
- Remove the crust from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the crust, then pour the warm caramel over the chips.
- Carefully spread the remaining oat mixture over the caramel layer.
- Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the top is set and lightly golden.
- Cool completely before cutting into bars. For cleaner slices, freeze the cooled pan briefly, then cut and remove bars. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
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