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Carmelitas are a buttery oatmeal bar cookie with layers of chocolate and gooey caramel that you won’t be able to stop eating!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
A Classic Bar Cookie. These cookie bars are guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate and caramel craving. It’s classic cookie bar that should be in every serious baker’s repertoire!
Chewy and Delicious. The texture of these Carmelitas is perfect. This recipe came from my master cookie baking sister in law. She is always the one that brings the yummy baked goods to all the Wilkes family gatherings, and these are definitely a favorite dessert.
Ingredients Needed
- All Purpose Flour
- Quick Oats
- Light Brown Sugar
- Butter, salted
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Milk Chocolate Chips or use semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Dulce de Leche or Caramel Topping
How to Make Carmelitas
- Mix the oatmeal, flour, butter and sugar in a bowl until a crumble consistency.
- Place half of the mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan to form the crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven
- Sprinkle chocolate chips and drizzle with caramel sauce.
- Sprinkle with remaining oatmeal mixture over the top of the caramel layer and bake for an additional 18 minutes.
- Allow them to cool, if you can wait that long!
Tips from leigh Anne
- The recipe calls for quick oats which are whole rolled oats that have been processed or chopped into smaller pieces. You can also use Old Fashioned Oats or whole rolled oats, they will just give you a chewier texture. I prefer quick oats. To make your whole oats into quick oats you can pulse the old fashioned oats in a blender or food processor a few times to chop them up a bit.
- There are so many great ways to change up this recipe. You can change the type of chocolate chips, sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the caramel, drizzle peanut butter over the caramel layer or add chopped nuts to the crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caramel sauce is best for baking?
My favorite brand of caramel sauce is the Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel. These bars will be even better though if you use your own homemade dulce de leche.
How should I store carmelitas?
Carmelitas should be store in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature 3-4 days. You can also store them in the fridge for up to a week. They will store in the freezer for 3-4 months so are a perfect make ahead cookie. If layering them in the freezer, place parchment paper or wax paper between the layers.
Can I add nuts to carmelitas?
Some chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts would be delicious. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.
Check out more of my favorite cookie recipes:
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Carmelitas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup milk chocolate chocolate chips
- 1 cup caramel ice cream topping or dulce de leche
Instructions
- Mix together flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, butter and brown sugar until it is crumbly.
- Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and drizzle with caramel sauce or dulce de leche..
- Top with the remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake for an additional 18 minutes.
Tips & Notes:
- Change up your chocolate chip flavor – use milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or butterscotch chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the caramel for a salted version.
- Drizzle some peanut butter or cookie butter over the top of the caramel layer.
- Add in chopped pecans or walnuts, either into the bottom crust layer or on top of the caramel layer for some added crunch.
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Grace says
We love these so much! I try not to make them too often. They are so easy and so good I have to make a half batch because I have no self control with these!
Nicole H says
I just made these for Family Home Evening tonight, but was a little distracted and didn’t bake the bottom crust before layering with the chocolate chips and caramel…darn. I’m sure it will still taste amazing though, because it smells delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe 🙂
Leigh Anne says
Nicole, Hope they turned out fine – let me know!
Dawn says
This is timely since I need to take sweet snacks to Monday’s staff meeting. Thanks for the reminder, I have this recipe too, but had forgotten about it.
PS- I love how your site “pooped” up for Melanie above. 🙂
Julie says
Just a ? Is it really 1 and 1/4 cups of butter or 1 and 1/4 cubes?
Leigh Anne says
Yep – it really is 1 1/4 Cups
Melanie Kohler says
I have need following your website for years. My children had left for college and I was feeling quite sad. I searched “empty nester” and your site pooped up. Today’s comments were exactly the way I was feeling. I needed something sweet and homemade. I have everything but the sauce! I look forward to your posts everyday. Keep up the good work!
Melanie
Leigh Anne says
Melanie, This empty nest thing can be a challenge sometimes, can’t it! I hope you enjoy the Carmelitas as much as I did!