Caramelitas
Oatmeal Caramelitas are a decadent, gooey treat! They’re full of caramel, pecans, and chocolate chips tucked inside a buttery, oatmeal crumble.
OH MY are these a delightful dessert! A friend introduced me to these a handful of years ago, and when I spotted them in a few 1980’s cookbooks, I knew they belonged here on the blog. (Update: I later found these in a 1978 church cookbook that noted the recipe won the Pillsbury Bake-Off in the 70’s. Also, thank you to a reader named Brenda who said she made these in the 70’s!).
Caramelitas start with a crumbly oatmeal mixture, which creates the top and the bottom of the cookie bars. We’ll add caramel, chocolate chips, and pecans to the middle. You may recognize this combination from the classic chocolate turtle candy (it’s a winner for sure!).
Many newer recipes use a food processor, but the original recipe did not. I combined the best parts of the older and newer recipes to create this one, with its buttery crumble and extra gooey caramel. A glass of milk on the side is a must!
Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.
- If you can’t find Kraft caramels, Werthers also makes chewy caramels that work great (and, the individual caramels are easier to open than the Kraft brand!)
- Be sure to use quick oats (also called 1-minute oats) for this recipe. Old fashioned oats are too thick.
How to make oatmeal Caramelitas
Step 1: Melt the caramels in a saucepan with the heavy cream. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the oatmeal crumble.
Step 2: Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until a crumble forms. Pat into a 13×9-inch dish lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Pour the caramel over the crumble in the pan, followed by the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
Step 4: Top with the remaining crumb mixture, and pat down gently.
Bake the bars for 20–22 minutes, or just until they are lightly golden brown on the edges.
Let cool completely, then refrigerate for one hour (this will make them easier to cut). Slice into squares and serve!
Storage and freezing
You can store these bars in the refrigerator or at room temperature. The caramel is a little more gooey at room temperature (in a good way).
The bars can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
More bar cookies to love
There’s nothing like a classic bar cookie! Here are a few others from vintage recipe books:
- Special K Bars
- Toll House Cookie Bars (made 3 different ways)
- Old Fashioned Lemon Bars
- Rhubarb Bars
- Grandma’s Coconut Bars
📖 Recipe
Caramelitas
Ingredients
- 1 (11 oz) bag individually wrapped caramels (such as Kraft or Werther’s)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups flour
- 1½ cups quick oats
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Place the caramels and heavy cream in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the caramels are melted. Let cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9-inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the melted butter, and stir to combine.
- Remove 2 cups of the crumb mixture from the bowl and set aside. Pour the remaining crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Pat down with a medium firmness to form the crust.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the top, then top with the chocolate chips and pecans.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, patting it down gently.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Let cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour to get nice, clean slices.
Whipped up a batch of these for an afternoon treat, and they do not disappoint! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth; definitely, a new favorite dessert!