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Carmelitas stacked

Carmelitas

These Carmelitas are a buttery, brown sugar and oats bar with chocolate chips, nuts, and caramel inside. These are a great dessert for a crowd!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Yield 9 servings
Author Christy Denney

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quick cooking oats (also works with old-fashioned oats)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Caramel Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping (see note)
  • 3 tablespoons flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8" or 9" square baking dish. An 8" dish will yield slightly thicker bars.

  2. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, oats, sugar, melted butter, baking soda, and salt. Mix to form crumbs. Put aside a rounded 1/2 cup of the mixture. Press remaining crumbs in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. 

  3. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts (if using) in an even layer over baked mixture. For the caramel sauce recipe: In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons flour with caramel mixture and drizzle over chocolate chips and nuts. 

  4. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top trying to cover most of the caramel. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting. You can speed these up by placing the bars in the fridge. Serve and store bars at room temperature. 

Recipe Notes

This can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 baking dish.

I've also made these without adding flour to the caramel mixture. Depending how thick your caramel sauce is you may not have to add the flour.

Source: My mother-in-law's friend Peggy Rothmeier.