Okay, these homemade carmelitas take oatmeal cookie bars to another dimension. They’re like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies’ cooler, smarter, prettier, younger sister. They’re like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on performance enhancing drugs. They’re the Olympic gold medalist version. 
They’re amazing! The caramel layer takes them from ordinary to all-star status. Do you see where I’m going with this? These are DELICIOUS! … and … they’re easy to make!
Easy Step-By-Step Instructions for making Carmelitas
If you’re going to make the caramel, do that first.
In a 2 quart sauce-pan. over medium-low heat, melt
½ cup butter
Add
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Stirring constantly, turn heat to medium high,. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove from heat.
Stir in
1 teaspoon vanilla
Then set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
Stir together
1 ¾ cups quick oats
1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Add
¾ cup melted butter
Mix well.
Reserve one cup oat mixture.
Press remaining oat mixture into bottom, and 3/4 inch up sides, of prepared baking pan. The edge of crust helps prevent the caramel from baking onto the side of the pan.
FYI: Here’s what happens when the caramel touches the side of the pan. It bakes on and gets really hard. You don’t want that to happen.
Anyway, back to our recipe. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven.
Pour 1 cup of cooled caramel into the bottom of the “crust” layer. The sides of the crust will prevent the caramel from touching the edge of the pan and burning. Then …
1. Sprinkle with 2 cups chocolate chips.
2. Top with 1 cup chopped nuts.
3. Drizzle with remaining cup of caramel, avoiding the edges.
Sprinkle with reserved cup of oat mixture, and return to oven.
Bake 20 minutes more.
Cool on wire rack.
Cut into square, and …
… devour!
Free Printable Recipe for Carmelitas
- 1 ¾ cups quick oats
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter (melted)
- 2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 2 cups homemade caramel sauce or 2 cups caramel ice cream topping mixed with ½ cup flour
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Melt butter in heavy 3 quart sauce pan.
- Add sugar, corn syrup, condensed milk, and salt.
- Stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
- Allow to cool to room temperature (this is important because it prevents the caramel from running to the edges of the pan.)
- Make the cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
- Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Stir in butter, and mix well.
- Reserve 1 cup of oat mixture, press remaining mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle caramel on top to within ¼ inch of pan edges.
- Top with remaining oat mixture.
- Bake 18-22 minutes more. Cool in pan on wire rack.
- Yields 30 bars.