Description
These Easy Carmelitas are rich, gooey dessert bars with a buttery oatmeal crust, layers of melted chocolate, and sweet caramel. Simple to make with no mixer required, they offer ultimate comfort in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 35–40 caramel candies or 1 cup caramel bits
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly and fully moistened.
- Press half of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the crust.
- Bake the crust for about 10 minutes until lightly golden.
- While the crust is baking, melt the caramel candies and heavy cream together in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until smooth, stirring frequently.
- Remove the crust from the oven and evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the warm crust.
- Pour the melted caramel over the chocolate chip layer, spreading gently with a spatula if needed.
- Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the caramel layer.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 15–20 minutes, or until the top is golden and the caramel is bubbly.
- Allow the Carmelitas to cool completely in the pan before slicing to let the layers set, about 2 hours.
Notes
- Let bars cool completely before slicing to prevent them from falling apart.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze for up to 2 months with parchment between layers.
- Use dark or milk chocolate chips to vary sweetness.
- Add nuts, coconut, or a sprinkle of sea salt for extra flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
