Description
Indulge in the decadent delight of these Carmelitas – a luscious dessert bar featuring layers of buttery oats, gooey caramel, rich chocolate, and crunchy pecans. These bars are a perfect blend of sweet, salty, and chewy textures that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- ¾ cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening caramel)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the Crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix in melted butter until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the pan to form the crust and bake for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the Filling: Mix caramel sauce with flour for thickening. Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over the baked crust, then pour caramel mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the caramel.
- Bake: Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting into bars.
Notes
- You can use homemade caramel sauce for extra flavor.
- If using salted caramel, consider reducing the added salt.
- Pecans are optional but add a nice crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
