The combination of oatmeal, chocolate, and caramel make these bars worthy of 5 stars.
While making these bars, I like to practice saying carmelitas in a Spanish accent. My boys just look at me like I am weird. That’s ok, I am comfortable with my weirdness. 🙂
Buon Appetito!
Oatmeal Carmelitas
Source: Southern Living
- Prep Time : 25 minutes
- Cook Time : 30 minutes
- Yield : 24 bars
Nutrition facts (per portion) :
0: 330;
1: 15.6;
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour - 2 cups
- uncooked quick-cooking oats - 2 cups
- firmly packed light brown sugar - 1 1/2 cups
- baking soda - 1 tsp.
- salt - 1/2 tsp.
- butter, melted - 1 cup
- semisweet chocolate morsels - 1 package (12 ounces)
- pecans or walnuts, toasted - 1/2 cup (optional)
- caramels - 1 (14 ounce) package
- half-and-half - 1/3 cup
Instructions
- Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, stirring until mixture is crumbly. Reserve half of mixture (about 2 3/4 cups). Press remaining half of mixture into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate morsels, and, if desired, pecans.
- Microwave caramels and half-and-half in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 minutes. Stir and microwave at MEDIUM 1 to 3 more minutes or until mixture is smooth. Let stand 1 minute. Pour evenly over chocolate morsels. Sprinkle evenly with reserved crumb mixture.
- Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
