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Best Ever Carmelitas

March 11, 2019 by thedomesticrebel | 30 Comments

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These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing!

Calling all caramel lovers! These Best Ever Carmelitas are absolutely divine! The thickest, butteriest caramel layer sandwiched between layers of chocolate chips and oatmeal cookies, baked to perfection in a gooey, chewy bar.

You guys – these bars are everything. Ev.Er.Y.Thing.

I am a sucker for most oat-centric desserts. I mean, can we agree that oatmeal cookies are one of life’s greatest pleasures?

In fact, my all-time fave ice cream flavor is Ben & Jerry’s “Oat of this World” which has caramel and oatmeal cookie dough pieces. CAN YOU EVEN?? These bars kinda remind me of that addictive ice cream but in the gooiest, chewiest, most delicious bars.

And truly, they couldn’t be easier to make – I promise! I know it seems daunting when working with caramel and multiple layers in the same dessert, but I can guarantee these bars will make you the most popular person.*

*bars have made me the most popular person with myself, because I ate them all instead of sharing

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing! To make them, you need to make your oatmeal cookie dough, which is like a cross between oatmeal cookie dough and shortbread since there’s no egg in the mixture. It’s just salted butter, brown sugar and a splash of vanilla extract beaten together until creamy. Then you’ll add in some flour, oats of course, and baking soda – no salt since we used salted butter, which really amps up the flavor and makes all the difference.

Press half of the oatmeal cookie dough into the bottom of a foil-lined and greased 8×8 inch pan and bake it for a few minutes to really solidify that base. You want to pre-bake the bottom crust so it’s stable enough to support the weight of all that luscious caramel!

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing! While the crust bakes, make your caramel: it’s simply caramel bits and heavy cream melted low and slow in a saucepan over medium-low heat until thick and rich. I like using Kraft’s Caramel Bits because they’re like little round caramel balls that melt soo much faster and there’s nothing to tediously unwrap!

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing! Briefly remove the crust from the oven and sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips, then pour over your caramel. Try not to groan with excitement. Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal cookie dough evenly over the surface of the caramel and return the pan to the oven to bake some more.

The most torturous part of this recipe is letting it cool completely so it has a chance to set; otherwise, you’ll cut into delicious albeit messy bars. I like to make these bars a day ahead of time so I can actually chill them in the fridge – this really helps the caramel set completely. However, if you chill them in the fridge, make sure you bring them to room temperature before serving! No one wants to break a filling on cold caramel – you’ve been warned!

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing! Gooey, buttery, thick, rich, chewy Carmelitas. These are hands-down the best EVER!!

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing!

*adapted from Lovely Little Kitchen

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing!
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Best Ever Carmelitas

These Best Ever Carmelitas are a cross between oatmeal cookies and gooey bars with a thick, buttery layer of caramel and chocolate chips in every bite!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time32 mins
Total Time42 mins
Course: Bars, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Dessert
Servings: 12 -16
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

  • 11 ounces (One 11-ounce package) Kraft caramel bits or 1 bag caramel squares, unwrapped
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup salted butter melted
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray. Trust me, you will want to line with foil and spray with cooking spray for easy removal later!
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, flour, oats, and baking soda with a spoon until combined. Press half of the mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven but keep oven on.
  • While the crust bakes, in a small saucepan combine the caramels and heavy cream over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Set aside.
  • Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the crust. Pour the caramel over the chocolate chip layer. Crumble the remaining oatmeal cookie dough over the caramel layer evenly. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the caramel is just about set. It may jiggle a little, but should not be sloshing around in the pan. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate to set for at least 1-2 hours. Let bars come to room temperature before consuming, as cold caramel is not great for teeth!

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing! I can’t even handle the gooey factor of these dreamy bars!

These are the BEST ever Carmelitas! Buttery oatmeal cookie dough layers sandwiching gooey, buttery caramel and rich chocolate chips in every bite! Gooey, chewy, sweet and delicious, these bars are amazing!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

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Comments

  1. Julie says

    November 11, 2019 at 9:08 am

    Can they be frozen?

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      November 11, 2019 at 6:01 pm

      Hi Julie, they can but please let them come fully to room temperature before serving. I am not responsible for someone’s broken tooth on cold caramel! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Carla says

    November 17, 2019 at 9:33 am

    Do you have directions/measurements for 9×13?

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      November 17, 2019 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Carla, I do not, but you could probably double this and it would work! Just experiment with changing the baking time.

      Reply
  3. Ian says

    November 20, 2019 at 5:34 pm

    5 stars
    For the first 30 years of my life I thought this was a secret family recipe, then they turned up at the karate skating pot luck!!!!! If you’ve never sat near a pot luck buffet line where everyone has skates on- well, you’re missin our. And don’t eat these- ever. They will change your life.

    Reply
  4. Patty says

    March 1, 2020 at 12:21 pm

    There is no measurement for the vanilla extract.

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      March 1, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Patty, thanks for pointing that out! Just updated the ingredients to have 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

      Reply
  5. Ceciiii says

    April 30, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds so amazing! Is it a must to refrigerate?

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      April 30, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Ceciii, no it does not need to be refrigerated!

      Reply
  6. Piper says

    May 15, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    So yummy! Would highly recommend adding some flaky salt to the caramel. Cuts some of the super sweet caramel and is generally very yummy.

    Reply
  7. Rowenna says

    January 17, 2021 at 12:31 pm

    Hi,I’m in the uk , what are the uk measurements also where or what would be caramel balls in the uk ? I really want to try them but there is so much different things in the us to the uk (like caramel balls) I just can’t think what they would be in the uk

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      January 17, 2021 at 2:35 pm

      Hi Rowenna, you could probably google search the conversions to grams and do you have caramel squares in the UK? Just pure caramel candies? That would be perfect.

      Reply
  8. Jennifer kamalani says

    January 24, 2021 at 9:12 pm

    5 stars
    My mom makes these every Christmas. Because of covid we couldn’t go home this year. I am so glad I found this recipe! It’s so delicious!!! It’s not Christmas anymore and I keep making them! Lol

    Reply
  9. Karen says

    February 9, 2021 at 6:21 am

    5 stars
    OUTSTANDING. Directions were super easy to follow and the bars were a cinch to make. Big success!

    Reply
  10. Liz says

    April 12, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    5 stars
    Holy cow these are good and very easy to make. I made a half batch in a bread pan.

    Reply
  11. ashok says

    July 16, 2021 at 10:08 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.

    Reply
  12. Jen Wildman says

    January 1, 2022 at 2:28 pm

    Your recipe was easy-to-follow and my carmelita bars turned out perfectly! Thank you for the recommendation to prep the pan with cooking spray and foil – had I not followed your instructions, those bars would still be clinging to the pan!
    I will definitely be making these yummy carmelitas again.

    Reply
  13. Lisa says

    January 29, 2022 at 5:21 pm

    5 stars
    These were absolutely delicious . I lined my baking dish with parchment paper and it worked perfectly!!

    Reply
  14. jill says

    May 7, 2022 at 5:13 pm

    These look excellent, I will be trying them with homemade sugar fee caramel, hope the consistency will work.Wish me luck!

    Reply
  15. Dani says

    May 29, 2022 at 5:26 am

    5 stars
    Can caramel in a jar be substituted for the Kraft caramels and cream

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      June 14, 2022 at 7:48 pm

      Hi Dani, sorry for the delay – it can as long as it is a thicker caramel sauce. Some of the jarred caramels are very runny. I like Smucker’s Simply Delights jarred caramel.

      Reply
  16. Kay says

    July 7, 2022 at 8:10 pm

    I had trouble getting mine to harden. Even after I let it sit until room temperature it started to fall apart when I tried to lift the foil out of the pan. The refrigerator didn’t help so I ended up putting it in the freezer for an hour in order to cut it. Did I need to bake it longer?? I definitely want to try again because it tastes delicious!

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      July 9, 2022 at 7:42 am

      Hi Kay! It sounds like it needs to be baked a little longer! What type of pan did you use? Was it glass by chance? Glass conducts heat poorly, resulting in baked goods that aren’t properly set as consistently as a light metal pan would bake them. Therefore your cooking time is usually off by minutes. I suggest using a disposable foil pan or a light metal baking pan next time for accuracy.

      Reply
  17. Penny says

    July 10, 2022 at 6:15 am

    5 stars
    These sound delicious! We have family coming for a visit and I’m planning on making these. This might be a silly question, but do these keep well for a few days? I see where they do not need to be refrigerated, correct? Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  18. Michelle says

    July 27, 2022 at 1:31 pm

    Can I use half-and-half I do not have heavy cream on hand

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      July 31, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      No, heavy cream is recommended.

      Reply
  19. Denise says

    October 27, 2022 at 5:06 pm

    Doubled the recipe for a 9 x 13. Office potluck….HUGE hit!!! So simple to make (after unwrapping 100 caramels!) that I think this is mnemonic go to for potlucks,

    Reply
  20. Ali says

    February 27, 2023 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious and so easy! Do I store in a sealed container at room temperature? How many days are they good for?

    Reply
  21. SHARON V. says

    March 22, 2023 at 9:52 am

    Can I use Carmel dessert topping instead of caramels?

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      March 24, 2023 at 10:31 am

      Hi Sharon, if you use the caramel dessert topping I recommend using Smucker’s Simply Delights brand. It’s my favorite and has limited ingredients. Some of the other brands and types are too watery, but the Simply Delights is just perfect.

      Reply

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About me

Welcome to The Domestic Rebel! My name is Hayley and I am the 31-year old writer, photographer, recipe developer, taste-tester and creator of this blog. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by my little slice of sprinkly, butter-laden heaven on the interwebs. If it wasn’t apparent, I like to bake… a lot. Read More…

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