Carmelitas are rich dessert bars with gooey caramel, melted chocolate, and a buttery oat crumble topping. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion!A GOOEY DESSERT BAR RECIPEHave you ever had a Carmelita? If you like caramel and chocolate then you will adore these! Theyare the ultimate ooey-gooey dessert bar! Caramelitas are super indulgent and have layers of buttery oatmeal crumble sandwiching melted chocolate and a simple homemade caramel sauce. These bars are slightly chewy and are the perfect rich dessert to whip up for holidays, gatherings or potlucks. Watch how fast they fly!FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:What do Carmelitas taste like? These bars are rich, caramely, and chocolatey, the base and top have a slight crunch and caramel oatmeal cookie flavor. They are soft and gooey. Which type of caramels were used for this recipe? Kraft brand 11 ounce caramel bits were used for this recipe. Do I really have to wait over 2 hours for these to cool before cutting them? Yes! Waiting a couple hours for them to cool completely is vital before cutting them, as they would be extremely messy if you do not wait. You can also chill them in the fridge if youd like, but still please wait at least two hours before slicing into them to prevent a mess. Can I use jarred caramel sauce instead? I havent tried it with the jarred sauce yet, but I suppose you could try it. It may be too thin for this recipe, but it may work out. If you experiment, please let me know how ti goes! Whats the best way to eat these? These Carmelita bars are super gooey. They can be really sticky if you are just eating them with your hands. If you have a sensory issue or dont like sticky fingers, grab a fork when digging in to these treats. Keep them chilled in the refrigerator this will help it be less gooey. Can I use anything else in place of the oats? I know some people just dont like oats in their desserts because of the texture that they bring. But honestly, I dont have a substitute on what you can use in place of them because they really help hold the base layer together and I cant think of anything else that would work just as well. How do I store leftover Carmelitas? Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-6 days. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)salted butter You can use unsalted butter if thats what you have on hand. Just add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe.packed light brown sugar I have not tested this with white sugar. I suppose it would work but I havent personally tested it out. all purpose flourold fashioned oats I have not made this without oatmeal. I am sure you could but I havent tested it to be able to tell you how it would turn out. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes! You could also use quick cooking oats. baking sodavanilla extractcaramel bits you can buy the individually wrapped caramel pieces youll need 11 ounces. The caramel bits are so much easier and even I can find them in my small town. They are a lot more readily available than they used to be. heavy creamsemi sweet chocolate chips if you want this sweeter, you could use milk chocolate but I think theyre pretty sweet as is so I would stick with the semi sweet. HOW TO MAKE CARMELITASPreheat the oven to 350 and line an 88-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Stir together the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then add in the flour, oats, and baking soda and stir well to make a dough.Press half of the mixture into your baking dish and bake for ten minutes.While the base is baking, melt the caramels and heavy cream in a medium saucepan until all of the caramels are melted, this can take about 7 to 10 minutes on medium to low heat, do not use high heat.Once the base is done baking, sprinkle the chocolate chips onto the warm base layer. Then pour on the caramel sauce.Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture on top.Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, let cool completely (at least 2 1/2 hours) before cutting into 9 slices to enjoy. You can pop them into the refrigerator to help them cool quicker. CRAVING MORE RECIPES?Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal BarsChocolate Chip Caramel Butter BarsNo Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal BarsSnickers BarsPumpkin Streusel BarsSalted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars PrintCarmelitasRich and indulgent dessert bars full of chocolate and caramel.Course DessertCuisine AmericanPrep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 30 minutes minutes2 hours hours 30 minutes minutesTotal Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutesServings 9Calories 516kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredients cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted cup packed light brown sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup all purpose flour cups old fashioned oats teaspoon baking soda11 ounce bag caramel bits cup heavy cream1 cup semi sweet chocolate chipsInstructionsPreheat the oven to 350 and line an 88-inch baking dish with parchment paper.Stir together cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted, cup packed light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Then add in 1 cup all purpose flour, cups old fashioned oats and teaspoon baking soda and stir well to make a dough. Press half of the mixture into the baking dish and bake for ten minutes. While the base is baking, add 11 ounce bag caramel bits and cup heavy cream to a medium saucepan until all of the caramels are melted, this can take about 7 to 10 minutes on medium to low heat, do not use high heat. Stir constantly so they don't burn. Once the base is done baking, sprinkle 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips onto the warm base layer. Then pour on the caramel sauce. Sprinkle the remaining flour/oat mixture evenly on top. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, let cool completely (at least 2 1/2 hours) before cutting into 9 slices to enjoy. NotesPlease refer to my FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.The parchment paper just makes it easier to remove and slice after they are cooled. You can spray with nonstick cooking spray but itll be just a bit more tricky to slice and serve.NutritionCalories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Sodium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 48g