These carmelitas are a rich and indulgent dessert bar that’s always a huge hit with caramel lovers. Sweet and buttery with a delicious gooey caramel layer, they’re a perfect simple yet impressive treat for any occasion.
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The Best Carmelitas Dessert
If you’re looking for a treat that will win rave reviews at your next party or potluck, look no further than these carmelitas. These cookie bars are an incredibly rich and delicious dessert, featuring a buttery oatmeal crust stuffed with tons of semi-sweet chocolate and creamy caramel and drizzled with even more caramel.
Like most dessert bars, they’re easy, convenient, and great for taking to parties and events. But with their unique chewy texture and delicious buttery base that’s just oozing with melted chocolate and caramel, these treats blow other dessert bars away. Give this addictively good and easy recipe a try and you may just have a new favorite party dessert!
Why we love this Recipe for Carmelitas
- These treats are so rich and sweet that they’ll satisfy your sweet tooth in a hurry.
- Caramel lovers will go crazy for this decadent dessert bar that’s bursting with buttery homemade caramel flavor.
- These moist and chewy bars look as good as they taste, making them a perfect addition to any party table.
- Carmelita bars are as easy to make as a brownie, but they have a much more unique and delicious flavor.
Ingredients for Carmelita Bars
- For the base:
- Rolled oats
- All purpose flour
- Light brown sugar
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter (melted)
- For the filling:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Semi-sweet chocolate bar (chopped)
- Soft caramels
- Heavy cream
How to Make Carmelitas
Step One: Mix Dry Ingredients
Heat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the melted butter to the mixing bowl and mix until all ingredients are covered in butter.
- Spread two-thirds of the oatmeal mixture into the baking pan and flatten into an even layer with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Step Two: Make the Caramel Filling
- While the base bakes, add the soft caramels and heavy cream to a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Continuously stir with a wooden spoon until the caramels are completely melted and the mixture has combined into a sauce.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce in a separate bowl to drizzle on top later.
Step Three: Build and Serve
- Remove the base layer from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips and chopped chocolate over the baked base.
- Pour the melted caramel over the chocolate in an even layer and add the remaining oat mixture on top and gently press down.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Let the carmelitas sit in the pan for about an hour.
- Cut into equal squares and drizzle with the reserved caramel sauce.
Carmelita Bars Recipe tips
- If you don’t have an 8 inch square pan you can use a 9×13 inch pan, but you will need to make a double batch to fill the larger pan.
- You can substitute quick oats for the rolled oats but the carmelitas won’t be as chewy.
- Make sure you let the bars cool completely before slicing. This will take several hours, but if you cut them too soon, they may fall apart.
Carmelitas Recipe Variations
- Substitute white chocolate, peanut butter, or milk chocolate chips for the semi-sweet chips.
- After drizzling with the caramel sauce, add a pinch of salt on top.
- Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream, for a delicious caramel version of a brownie Sundae.
Can I Use Store Bought Caramel Sauce?
I haven’t tried this personally, but it may work if you’re able to find a jarred sauce that’s really thick and rich. If you use a thinner sauce, the bars may not set properly.
How Do I Store Carmelitas?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The Carmelitas will last for about 3 days.
Freezing Carmelitas
Yes – Store them in a freezer or Ziplock bag and you can freeze them for up to four months. Thaw them overnight at room temperature.
More Decadent Dessert Recipes
- Blueberry Heaven on Earth Cake
- Dark Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting
- Oreo Poke Cake
- Pecan Pie Brownies
- Chocolate Lasagna
Carmelita Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 0.5 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 0.5 tsp. sea salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
For the filling
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 40 soft caramels
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350ºF. Line an 8×8 baking pan with baking parchment.
- Add the oats, flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Pour in the melted butter and mix very well until all the ingredients in the bowl are completelycoated with the butter.
- Tip two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula to press it down.With clean hands, use your fingers to press the mixture into an even layer. The warmth from your hands will make the process easier.
- Put the pan into the oven for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the caramel by putting the soft caramels and heavy cream into a smallsaucepan set over a low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the caramels havemelted. Remove from the heat and reserve 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce into aseparate bowl (you will use this for drizzling later). Set the caramel aside for now.
- When the base of the Carmelitas has had 10 minutes in the oven, take the pan out and sprinkle over the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate.
- Pour the caramel in an even layer over the top.
- Spoon the remaining oats and flour mixture on top, press down gently
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the Carmelitas are a light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to set in the pan for an hour or so. Turn the Carmelitas out and use a sharp knife to cut into 12 equal squares.
- Drizzle over the reserved caramel and serve.
Nutrition
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