Description
Deliciously chewy and gooey Carmelitas feature a buttery oat crust layered with rich melted caramel and semisweet chocolate chips, perfect for an indulgent dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (320 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Carmel Layer
- 1 (11-oz.) bag soft caramels
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Crust and Topping: In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the mixture becomes crumbly but holds together when pressed. Reserve half of this mixture for the topping.
- Form and Bake Crust: Press half of the oat mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust begins to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Melt Caramel: While the crust is baking, place the caramels and milk in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until the caramels melt completely and the mixture is smooth, about 12 minutes. Stir in a pinch of flaky sea salt for flavor balance.
- Assemble Layers: Evenly scatter the semisweet chocolate chips over the cooled crust. Pour the warm caramel evenly over the chocolate chips and gently spread it out to cover them. Top the caramel layer with the reserved oat mixture, pressing it down gently to flatten.
- Bake Final Carmelitas: Return the pan to the oven and bake until the oat topping is golden and the caramel is bubbling around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing into 12 squares.
Notes
- Use parchment paper for easier removal and cleaner slices.
- Ensure the caramel and milk mixture is melted slowly on low heat to avoid burning.
- Allow the bar to cool completely for clean slicing and proper set.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approximately)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
