These oatmeal carmelitas are a cookie bar crowd pleaser with a chewy, buttery brown sugar oatmeal crust and a thick layer of chocolate and gooey caramel!
I’m a sucker for cookie bar recipes with chocolate and caramel including chocolate fudge caramel brownies, homemade twix bars and snickers bars.
Table of Contents
Oatmeal Carmelita Recipe
These oatmeal carmelitas take your regular chocolate chip bars to a whole new level! They’re soft and chewy like an oatmeal cookie and filled with a layer of caramel similar to my caramel butter bars. They are super rich and are perfect for chocolate and caramel lovers.
I got this carmelitas recipe several years ago at a cookie exchange and it is adapted from The Pillsbury bake off winner in 1967. The last batch of oatmeal caramel bars I made, I ate a small square and sent the rest into work with my husband so I wasn’t tempted to eat the entire pan. He said they were gone in about 2 seconds and everyone loved them!
Carmelitas Ingredients
Whether you’re looking for a Sunday treat to make for your family or a dessert to make for guests, this oatmeal carmelita recipe is definitely something everyone will enjoy!
- Caramels: Soft caramel candies like Kraft square caramel or Werther’s soft and chewy caramels are both great to use. You will need about 35 of them, unwrapped.
- Heavy cream: This will be melted with the caramels for a rich caramel filling.
- Oatmeal crust: All-purpose flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar and salted melted butter plus baking soda.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate is best to pair with the sweet caramel.
Best Caramel To Use
The gooey and rich caramel is the star of the show in this carmelitas recipe. There are several types of caramel you can use – check out the different options below.
- Caramel squares or bits: This is my personal preference when making carmelitas. Simply combine a package of caramel squares (or caramel bits) in a pan with heavy cream and melt over low heat, until smooth.
- Store-bought: To make the recipe even easier, you can use 1/2 cup store bought caramel sauce instead of heating the caramel on the stove. Just make sure to mix it with 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour to thicken it up a bit.
- Homemade: I make homemade caramel sauce all the time. It’s so easy and takes only 3 ingredients and just 15 minutes! Even though it’s an extra step, it’s totally worth it! I’d recommend adding in a couple Tablespoons of flour to the mixture as well so that the sauce is thick enough for the bars.
How to Make Carmelitas
Add caramels and heavy cream in a medium-sized pan. Melt over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and baking soda. Press a little more than half of the dough into the bottom of the parchment-lined pan and smooth out. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of bottom layer. Then pour caramel mixture evenly over chocolate. Crumble remaining dough over the top. Place back in oven and bake an additional 13-17 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool at least 1 hour before cutting.
Baking Tips
- Line your baking dish with parchment paper for easier removal.
- You can also add chopped nuts when you add the chocolate chips, if desired.
- When pouring caramel, leave about 1/2 inch from the edge.
- Make sure the oatmeal carmelitas have cooled completely before cutting.
- To speed up the cooling process, I usually stick the bars in the fridge.
Storage
I can never resist waiting until the carmelitas are completely cool to sneak a little bite. I mean, look at the gooey caramel and chocolate. They are dangerously delicious!
- Store: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for about 3-5 days. They are pretty gooey, so I recommend adding a piece of parchment paper in between the different layers.
- Freeze: Simply add bars to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in freezer for up to 3 months.
Love chocolate and caramel together? Other must try treats include this Twix cookie recipe and these coconut caramel cookies!
More Delicious Cookie Bars
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Carmelitas
Ingredients
- 11 ounce package caramels or caramel bits , unwrapped (about 35)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup light brown sugar , packed
- ¾ cup butter , melted (I used salted)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside
- Make caramel layer. Combine 35 unwrapped caramels and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium-sized pan. Heat over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Set aside.
- Make oatmeal crust and topping. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, rolled 1 cup oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup melted butter and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir until combined. Press a little more than half of the dough into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Chocolate layer. Remove from oven and sprinkle 3/4 cup chocolate chips over top. Then pour caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate (leaving about 1/2 inch from the edge). Crumble the rest of the oatmeal dough over the top and gently pat down.
- Bake, cool and serve. Place back in the oven and bake an additional 13-17 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool at least 1 hour before cutting.
Notes
- To make these easier, you can use 1/2 cup store bought caramel sauce instead of making the caramel (omit caramels and heavy cream), however you’ll need to mix it with 1 1/2 Tablespoons flour.
- You can also add chopped nuts when you add the chocolate chips, if desired.
- To speed up the cooling process, I usually stick the bars in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Bars, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
My kids cannot get enough of these !!
All of your photos are making me swoon! These are a must do this weekend. Yum!!
These are crazy delicious! So simple to make, but totally addicting. I had to send the extras to work with my husband because I can’t resist them. :)
I was looking to see if I had all these ingredients on hand half-way through reading this post…..MAN these look good!
They are amazing! Hope you enjoy!! :)
What a delicious recipe! This is exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth!
Are these able to stay out? Or do they have to stay refrigerated?
Yes, you can definitely keep these out in an air tight container! :)
Can’t wait to make this. My family will love this.
Hope you enjoy!
I am going to have to try these, they look and sound delicious! Thanks!
I made these first about 1981 and my children thought they were fantastic. Your recipe looks a little more gooey than mine but they do look wonderful.
Hope you enjoy these! :)