How to Make Easy Oatmeal Caramelita Bars: Your New Favorite Dessert
Easy Oatmeal Caramelita Bars are a delightful treat that combines everyone’s favorites: a crumbly bar of oats and brown sugar, sweet chocolate chips, and gooey caramel for the perfect bite.
When you’re looking for an easy, homemade dessert that’s just a little different, try this oatmeal caramelitas recipe!
Easy Oatmeal Caramelita Bars
Equipment
- Aluminum foil
- 9 x 13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups quick oats (not instant oatmeal!)
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips
- 1 ½ (11 ounce) package of caramels (about 16 ounces total of caramels)
- ½ cup cream or half and half
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Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the center position. Then, line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, allowing it to overhang by a few inches to create handles for easy removal later. Don't forget to spray the foil generously with non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the oatmeal layer. Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a big bowl. Then, melt the butter and add it to the dry ingredients. Stir everything together until it becomes crumbly. After that, put away 3 cups of the mixture and press the rest firmly into the bottom of the baking dish you prepared.
- Add the chocolate and caramel layers. Unwrap the caramels and put them in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the cream or half and half over the caramels. Microwave on medium power for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the caramels are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the melted caramel evenly over the oatmeal layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the caramel layer.
- Top and Bake. Evenly prinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture evenly over the chocolate chips. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes or until the top turns golden brown. Take it out of the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
- Serve. When the bars are fully cooled, grab the foil handles to take them out of the baking dish. Move them to a cutting board and cut them into 24 bars.
Notes
Nutrition
More Tips:
When you melt the caramels, use the microwave for short periods and stir often to prevent burning or uneven melting.
Before you unwrap and melt the caramels, let them reach room temperature. This will make them easier to handle and melt smoothly.
Let the bars cool completely in the pan before removing them using the foil sling. This will help them set properly and make cutting easier.
Use a sharp knife to cut the bars neatly, and remember to wipe the knife between cuts for a clean, professional appearance.
For the neatest slices, cool bars completely before cutting into squares. Dampen a knife under cold water and wipe dry between cuts for clean edges.
You can make a butterscotch version of this recipe by substituting the brown sugar with white and replacing the chocolate chips with chopped butterscotch or butterscotch chips.
About the Ingredients
Here are good ingredient alternatives for this recipe:
- Butter: You can use margarine or coconut oil instead.
- Brown sugar: Try using coconut or granulated sugar with a tablespoon of molasses.
- Chocolate chips: Use dark chocolate chunks or white chocolate chips as an alternative.
- Cream or half and half: You can try evaporated or non-dairy milk like almond or coconut milk.
Remember that swapping these ingredients might give your recipe a different flavor, so give them a shot for a new taste.
These yummy Oatmeal Caramelita Bars make a delightful sweet treat anytime. With their layers of buttery oats, rich chocolate, and gooey caramel, I promise they will surely be a hit.
Whether it’s for lunchboxes, gatherings, or a cozy home snack, these bars are a real winner!
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
