If you are looking for a tasty cookie bar, this recipe for amazing caramelita bars is one you need to try. These gooey bars are the perfect combination of chocolate and caramel surrounded with a chewy oatmeal cookie base.
You can use wrapped caramel or caramel bits to make these amazing caramelita bars. You can even use jarred caramel sauce. If you opt for the jarred caramel sauce you will not need the heavy whipping cream. If you opt for this option, pick a caramel sauce on the thicker side. I would recommend something like Smucker’s salted caramel sauce.
Now for the caramels, I actually used some caramels that I had purchased from Costco and are more like a homemade caramel. They are Mrs. Call’s sea salt caramels. I used my scale to weigh out the caramels to be around 11 oz. I ended up using 24 caramels.
To make this you start by creaming some butter with some sugar and brown sugar. Once that is combined, you beat in some eggs and vanilla. Next comes some baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour. Last, you mix in the quick oats. Take this cookie mixture and press 2/3 of it into a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Then you bake this at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Now comes the caramel.
While that bakes you are going to unwrap the caramels if that is what you are using. Next, you melt those unwrapped caramels or caramel bits in a sauce pan along with some whipping cream. Then once that cookie base has finished baking for the 10 minutes, you will pour the caramel on it. Now comes the chocolate chips, just sprinkle them over the caramel layer.
Last thing to do is take bits of that remaining cookie dough and flatten eat piece and lay over the caramel/ chocolate layer. It’s kind of like layering cookie dough shingles on there. A little caramel or chocolate peaking through the pieces is ok, but you want the majority of it to be covered. Then bake it at 350 for 24-28 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars. These will not disappoint!
Here is what you need to make these
Amazing Caramelita Bars
- BUTTER
- BROWN SUGAR
- SUGAR
- EGGS
- VANILLA
- BAKING SODA
- SALT
- GROUND CINNAMON
- FLOUR
- QUICK COOKING OATS
- CARAMELS
- HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM
- SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
Amazing Caramelita Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 (11 oz) bag caramels, unwrapped (I used 24 Mrs. Call’s sea salt caramels)
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a mixer. Cream for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add in eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth. Gradually mix in baking soda, salt, cinnamon and flour until smooth, do not to over mix. Mix in oats.
- Press two thirds of the cookie dough in the prepared pan. Spray your hands with cooking spray to make it easier. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- While that bakes, add the caramels and cream to a saucepan. Heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Whisk in flour until smooth. After the base cooks for the 10 minute, pour caramel mixture over it, leaving a small border around all the edges. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
- Take pieces of the remaining dough and flatten between your hands (dough will be sticky). Lay on the top of caramel/chocolate layer. Continue until the entire pan is covered, lightly pressing the edges to seal them together. A little of the caramel/chocolate peeking through is okay.
- Bake at 350 degrees for an additional 24-28 minutes, or until the bars are light golden around the edges and on top. Cool completely before slicing.
This recipe is adapted from Crazy for Crust.