The Best Easy Carmelitas Recipe

A super indulgent, gooey treat these Carmelitas are a minimal ingredient recipe that come together quickly and easily and are a hit among everyone.

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If you don’t love the mixture of oats, chocolate and caramel then you’re crazy! No, I completely understand if you don’t but we absolutely love Carmelitas.

These bars are one of those recipes that we can’t help but make over and over again. They are super easy to make, make a large batch, and are just so tasty.

I love when I have a nice gooey caramel dessert that is still contained so each and every bite is just heaven. I may be biased but if you have never tried these cookie bars before, you need to.

Pantry ingredients really help these come together quickly so if you are an avid baker, you most likely have all the ingredients at home already.

Just so you know, these carmelita bars get eaten fast. Make a double batch just in case. All you caramel lovers know what I’m talking about!

These are usually ones that we keep on hand at any given time since they are used in many other various recipes, so that means they get made often and brought to allll the things!

I’m pretty sure these Carmelites will be one of your new favorite desserts. They’ll be the best thing on any dessert spread!

Some of our other favorite bar recipes that we have on our site include: Cherry Cheesecake Bars, Blueberry Bars and Golden Oreo White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars.

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Jump to:

• WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
• INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):
• HOW TO MAKE CARMELITAS:
• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
• HOW CAN I MAKE THESE BARS THICKER?
• WHAT CHOCOLATE CHIPS ARE BEST FOR THESE?
• DO I HAVE TO USE HALF AND HALF IN THE CARAMEL SAUCE?
• CAN I USE QUICK COOKING OATS FOR THESE?
• ANY ADDITIONS?
• ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
• HOW TO STORE:
• DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
• Carmelitas

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

1. Minimal ingredients are used, and ones that are easily found in your pantry.
2. These can be enjoyed warm or cooled.
3. This makes a large batch, but you can halve it if you’d like!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):

• All-purpose flour
• Salted butter
• Old fashioned oats
• Brown sugar
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Caramel squares
• Half and half
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips

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HOW TO MAKE CARMELITAS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9 x 13 inch pan by lining it with parchment paper. (The parchment paper isn’t necessary, but it makes cleanup a breeze!)
3. Unwrap the caramel squares and place them in the top pot of a double boiler. Add the half and half. 
4. Fill the bottom pot of the double boiler with a shallow layer of water.
5. Put the top pot over the bottom and place on a burner over medium high heat. 
6. Heat until the caramels are melted – stirring occasionally. Set aside while you assemble the oat bar mixture.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, melted butter, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
8. Pat ½ of the oat crumb mixture in the bottom of the 9 x 13 inch pan. Try to cover as much of the pan as possible. But if there are small holes, that will be ok. 
9. Bake for 10 minutes, until it is just beginning to turn golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the warm crust..
11. Pour over the melted caramel, and then sprinkle on remaining oat crumb mixture. Try to distribute it as evenly as possible as you sprinkle it on.
12. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is starting to turn golden brown and caramel is bubbling on the sides.
13. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then pull on the parchment paper to remove the squares from the pan.
14. Cool 10 minutes more and then cut into 24 squares while they are still slightly warm.

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HOW CAN I MAKE THESE BARS THICKER?

If you would like a caramel bar that is thicker, just bake it in a slightly smaller pan.

You may need to adjust the baking times slightly if you choose this option.

WHAT CHOCOLATE CHIPS ARE BEST FOR THESE?

We like to use semi-sweet to balance the sweetness in the bars but you can essentially use any flavor, so you can use milk or dark if you would prefer!

DO I HAVE TO USE HALF AND HALF IN THE CARAMEL SAUCE?

You can substitute heavy cream for the half and half and it will still be amazing!

The half and half is a little less heavy and have fewer calories, and no one but you will know you didn’t use heavy cream.

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CAN I USE QUICK COOKING OATS FOR THESE?

While we like the texture and flavor of the old fashioned oats in this recipe you can substitute with quick cooking, just use the same measurement.

ANY ADDITIONS?

If you want to make a more homemade caramel sauce, go ahead. I just like how easy the caramel squares are!

• Sea Salt: Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top for a salted caramel flavor, enhancing the creamy caramel.
• Nuts: Add chopped pecans or walnuts for a crunchy texture, making these oatmeal caramel bars even more delightful.
• Coconut Flakes: Mix in some coconut flakes to the oat mixture for a tropical twist on your carmelita recipe.
• Dried Fruit: Add dried cranberries or cherries for a tart contrast that pairs well with the chewy caramels.
• White Chocolate Chips: Swap some semi-sweet chocolate chips with white chocolate chips for a sweet twist.
• Peanut Butter Chips: Add peanut butter chips for a delicious combination of caramel flavor and peanut butter.
• Toffee Bits: Sprinkle toffee bits over the caramel layer for an extra crunch and rich flavor.
• Sprinkles: Add colorful sprinkles on top for a festive touch, perfect for special occasions.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

This is a really easy recipe to change up. Make sure you save that recipe card for later!

• Salted Butter: Use unsalted butter and add a pinch of kosher salt to control the saltiness in your buttery oatmeal cookie base.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Substitute with dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips based on preference, making it a versatile carmelita recipe.
• Old Fashioned Oats: Use quick oats or instant oats for a slightly different texture in your oatmeal carmelitas recipe.
• Half and Half: Replace with heavy whipping cream for a richer caramel sauce, enhancing the caramel flavor.
• Caramel Squares: Use store-bought caramels or caramel bits for convenience when melting caramel.
• All-Purpose Flour: Substitute with whole wheat flour for a healthier option, making it suitable for a calorie diet.

HOW TO STORE:

 These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature where they will keep for up to 1 week or in the refrigerator for 10 days.

They can also be frozen, to do this place them in a freezer container and they will keep frozen for up to 3 months, let defrost on the countertop.

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Looking for that bar that is super easy, gooey, tasty, and indulgent?

Then these Carmelitas are exactly what you need to make.

If you’ve tried these CARMELITAS let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!