Description
Indulge in the decadent and rich flavors of these irresistible Carmelitas, a delightful layered dessert featuring a buttery oat crust, gooey caramel, and chocolate chips. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth cravings!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (melted)
For the Filling:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening caramel, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- Mix the crust: In a medium bowl, mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly and fully moistened.
- Prepare the base: Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Thicken the caramel: If using homemade or thin caramel sauce, whisk in the 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken.
- Layer and bake: Sprinkle chocolate chips over the warm crust, drizzle caramel sauce on top, and crumble the remaining oat mixture over it. Bake for 18–20 minutes until golden.
- Cool and serve: Cool in the pan, refrigerate for 1–2 hours, then slice into bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- For a nutty twist, add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts between the chocolate and caramel layers.
- These bars freeze well—wrap individually and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
