Carmelitas

Oatmeal Carmelita bars stacked on top of each other.

5 from 8 votes

Soft caramel sauce from scratch and a generous sprinkling of chocolate chips between two layers of oatmeal cookie base makes for a classic, rustic treat. They’re the perfect recipe for any lover of caramel.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2x2 squares

Calories: 333kcal

Author: Rachel

Ingredients

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

¾ cup Butter softened
¾ cup Light Brown Sugar
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
6 oz Chocolate Chips any variety you prefer

Caramel Sauce

1 ½ cup Caramel Nibs See note at the bottom for substitutions
⅓ cup Whipping Cream

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine ¾ cup Butter, ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar, 1 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 cup Old-fashioned oats, and 1 teaspoon Baking Soda. Press half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan over med-low heat, add the 1 ½ cup Caramel Nibs and ⅓ cup Whipping Cream. Stir until smooth. Pour over baked oatmeal crust. Sauce will thicken as it cools so I recommend not waiting more than 1-2 minutes before pouring.
Sprinkle 6 oz Chocolate Chips over the caramel and oatmeal crust. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over the pan.
Return to oven at 350 and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges crisp. I usually see the caramel bubble up on the outside.

Video

Notes

If you can't find Caramel Bits, there are a few ways you can make the caramel sauce:

Caramel Squares- 32 squares plus ⅓ cup whipping cream. Same directions as in Recipe below.
Caramel Sauce (the kind you squeeze over ice cream like this ) - 1 ½ cups caramel topping plus ½ cup flour. In a small saucepan, combine them with a whisk. Bring to a slight boil, stirring constantly and boil 1-3 minutes. If you use a thicker jarred variety, if it is thick enough, you may just need to zap it in the microwave a few seconds to pour over the Carmelites.
Sweetened Condensed Milk -Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully place the can in the saucepan, ensuring there’s enough water to completely cover the can at all times, topping up water frequently throughout the cooking process. Simmer uncovered for 3 hours. (Yes, 3 hours!)

Nutrition