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Caramelitas Recipe

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4.1 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings

Description

Carmelitas are delicious layered bars featuring a chewy oatmeal cookie base, a luscious caramel and chocolate chip middle, and a golden baked topping. Perfect as a sweet treat with a gooey, rich caramel filling balanced by cinnamon-spiced oatmeal cookies, these bars are ideal for dessert or snack time.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 ¼ cup old-fashioned oatmeal

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Caramel Layer

  • 40 caramels (10 oz)
  • ¾ cup milk chocolate chips (5 oz)

Instructions

  1. Preheat & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
  2. Make Caramel Filling: In a medium saucepan, add the heavy cream and caramels. Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the caramels are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer this caramel sauce to a glass measuring cup or bowl and let it cool slightly while you prepare the cookie layers.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
  5. Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
  6. Add Dry and Oatmeal: Lower the mixer speed and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Then mix in the old-fashioned oatmeal on low speed until evenly incorporated.
  7. Assemble Bottom Cookie Layer: Spread half of the cookie dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  8. Bake Bottom Layer: Bake this layer in the preheated oven for 8 minutes until it just starts to set.
  9. Add Chocolate Chips and Caramel: Remove the dish from the oven and evenly sprinkle the milk chocolate chips over the warm cookie base. Next, carefully pour the slightly cooled caramel sauce over the chocolate chips.
  10. Add Top Cookie Layer: Sprinkle the remaining cookie mixture over the caramel layer as evenly as possible.
  11. Bake Final: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the bars are set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
  12. Cool: Remove from oven and let the bars cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. This cooling time allows the caramel filling to firm up. The bars will be gooey when warm but much easier to cut once completely cooled.
  13. Slice and Serve: Once cooled, slice into 9 or 16 squares and enjoy these delicious caramel oatmeal bars.

Notes

  • Use parchment paper with overhang for easy removal from the pan.
  • Slightly cooling the caramel ensures it does not melt the chocolate chips completely.
  • Bars are easiest to cut once fully cooled for clean slices.
  • You can swap milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet if preferred.
  • Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for better mixing.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 33 minutes
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://sarabaking.com/caramelitas-recipe/