Oatmeal Carmelitas are a super easy to make bar recipe with a gooey caramel and chocolate middle. Perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Oatmeal Carmelitas Recipe
The crust and the topping are made out of the same mixture of flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter. Half of the mixture is pressed into the bottom of a 9X13-inch pan and baked for 20 minutes.
Then a bunch of chocolate chips as well as a whole jar of caramel ice cream topping that is mixed with a little flour for some thickening power is spread on top.
Next the remaining oat mixture is sprinkled on top and it is popped back in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Recipe Tip
You really need to let these bars cool completely before cutting them and I suggest refrigerating them. They’ll get a little bit drippy and gooey as they come to room temperature. But whether you eat them chilled or at room temperature, these bars are loaded with caramel flavor and it’s hard to stop with just one.
What Caramel Sauce To Use
The base of the gooey center is a jar of caramel sauce. You want a jar or Caramel Ice Cream Topping. Smuckers works well. If your jar is not 12.5-ounces, measure out about one and a half cups.
Can I Use Old-Fashioned Oats?
I use quick-cooking oats for this recipe, but you can use old-fashioned oats. The oasta give a little chewiness and texture to the bars and old-fashioned oats will add a little extra chewiness.
How To Store and Freeze
These bars can be kept in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days at room temperature or you can store them in the refrigerator if you find they are too gooey at room temperature. You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
I made these to send in a care package to my son at college and thank goodness I had to pack most of them up and seal them in a box or I quite possibly could have eaten all of them myself.
Which would have been really bad considering this recipe makes a huge batch of buttery and rich bars.
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More Favorite Bar Recipes
- German Chocolate Bars
- Easy Chocolate Caramel Bars
- M&M Blondies
- Nutella Fudge Bars
- Cookies and Cream Gooey Bars
- Charleston Chewies
- Buttermilk Chess Bars
Oatmeal Carmelitas
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
Filling
- 1 (12.5-ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9X13-inch pan.
- Place all crust ingredients in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to mix them until crumbly.
- Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Reserve remaining crumb mixture for topping.
- Place pan in oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- While crust bakes, whisk together caramel topping and 3 tablespoons of flour in a bowl.
- Once crust is done being prebaked, remove it from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top of it. Drizzle caramel mixture evenly over chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top of caramel sauce.
- Place in 350 degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely and refrigerate for a few hours before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from: Pillsbury
Originally posted September 26, 2015.
OMG that gooey caramel and chocolate looks insanely good!! I am hitting that 3pm snacky time right now and just wish I had a piece to devour – love it!
I can imagine the taste, definitely my kind of bars.. Totally love them
Carmelitas are a favorite around here! So rich and gooey!