Caramelitas are gooey caramel oatmeal bars stuffed with melty chocolate and pecans with a soft oatmeal cookie base and a buttery, oatmeal crumble topping. They bake up soft and chewy for a decadent, irresistible treat.
Caramel lovers, be sure to try my Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake and Caramel Apple Dip.
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If you're like me and love anything caramel, these delicious caramelita bars have your name all over them. The bottom crust and top layer are a soft oatmeal cookie dough filled with chocolate chips, pecans, and gooey caramel. It's an easy recipe with incredibly decadent rewards.
If you love chocolate caramel bars, be sure to try my easy recipe for Million Dollar Bars next!
❤️You're Going to Love These
- Gooey caramel filling with melted chocolate.
- Soft and chewy oatmeal cookie crust.
- Simple pantry ingredients and no special tools.
- Easy to customize with nuts or different types of chocolate.
- Perfect for holidays, potlucks, and bake sales.
🍫Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Butter. I used unsalted butter. If you use salted, reduce the salt in the cookie dough to ⅛ teaspoon.
- Brown sugar. Light or dark brown sugar will work well.
- Oats. Old-fashioned oats give a chewy texture to the bars. You may also use quick cooking oats.
- Caramels. I used Kraft caramels. Caramel bits or Werthers Chewy Caramels will also work (not soft caramels).
- Chocolate Chips. I used dark chocolate to balance the sweetness, but you can also use milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Or chopped chocolate bars.
- Pecans. Optional, but they add great crunch. Toast them for extra nutty flavor! Walnuts or almonds are a good swap.
- Flaky salt, optional. A sprinkle of flaky salt on top adds a touch of salted caramel flavor.
🥣How to Make Caramelitas
Step 1. Whisk brown sugar and vanilla into melted butter in a large bowl. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Press half of the mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan lined with parchment or foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Step 2. In a saucepan, melt the caramels, cream, and salt, then let it cool slightly to thicken. Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over the baked crust. Pour the caramel sauce in an even layer over the chocolate chip layer.
Step 3. Crumble the remaining oatmeal cookie dough over everything. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until golden and bubbly at the edges.
Step 4. Cool completely before cutting. Chill for clean squares.
👉Helpful Hint: Chill the baked bars before cutting for the neatest edges.
✅Top Tips
- Let the caramel cool for a few minutes to thicken before pouring.
- Line the pan with parchment for easy lifting and clean slicing.
- For extra flavor, toast the pecans before adding them.
- For thinner bars, use a 9x9 pan. You may need less baking time.
🎁Storage
- Store at room temperature for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped. Thaw at room temperature.
❓FAQ
Yes. Rolled oats create a wonderful chewy texture, but quick oats may also be used.
Jarred caramel is thinner and can make the bars runny. Melted caramel squares with cream create the thick, classic caramelitas filling.
Yes. These caramel oatmeal bars are delicious with or without nuts. Walnuts, almonds, or no nuts at all work great.
They need time to cool and set. Chill the pan before cutting so the caramel layer firms up.
Yes. Bake in a 9x13 pan and extend the baking time slightly until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.
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📖 Recipe
Caramelitas
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan or 9x9 pan, for thinner bars
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookie Crust
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Caramel Filling
- 10 oz. caramel squares, unwrapped, about 32
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup pecans, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper or foil for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
- Press half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, melt the caramels, cream, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it cool slightly to thicken.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips and pecans onto the baked crust. Pour the caramel over the chocolate chips. Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture on top. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired.
- Bake 15-18 more minutes or until light golden brown and the caramel is bubbly around the edges. Cool in pan completely before cutting. For cleanest cutting, chill in the refrigerator.
Notes
- For extra flavor, toast the pecans before adding them.
- For thinner bars, use a 9x9 pan. You may need less baking time.
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