Easy Carmelitas (Caramel Oatmeal Bars)

Carmelitas sandwich a gooey chocolate and caramel center between an oatmeal-brown sugar crust for an easy dessert that everyone will devour! Prep this treat in just 15 minutes!

Slice into another pan of rich, sweet bars like these Billionaire Bars that have five decadent layers or these Hello Dolly Bars (7 Layer Cookie Bars)!

These Carmelitas have a soft oatmeal cookie-like crust on the top and bottom to seal in a rich, creamy caramel layer! The combination of warm brown sugar, buttery caramel, and sweet chocolate chips pair together to bring you a deliciously cozy dessert you’ll want to share with everyone!

Your first bite into these Carmelitas will be one you won’t soon forget! Their gooey caramel center and chewy crust combine for a decadent treat that will quickly have you (and everyone else!) reaching for seconds!

I love that this recipe uses store-bought chewy caramels to whip up that amazing caramel layer. While the rest of the bars come together easily using ingredients you likely have on hand.

You just can’t beat treats that have an out-of-this-world taste yet use easy ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep time, right?!

Carmelitas Ingredient Notes

Make up a pan of these scrumptious bars by following this easy Carmelitas Recipe! To begin, you’ll start by making the simple crust, which is made with salted butter, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, rolled oats or old-fashioned oats, baking soda, and salt.

After half of the crust is pressed into the pan and baked you’ll prepare the caramel filling by melting the caramel squares, heavy cream, and salt together. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the baked crust and then pour the melted caramel sauce over them to create the gooey, sweet filling.

Then all that’s left to do is put the top layer of crust on before baking the bars up to a light golden brown!

If you’re interested in mixing in some add-ins into this already delicious recipe you could add sea salt to the caramel layer for more of a salted caramel flavor. You could also add some shredded coconut or even chopped pecans to the flour mixture for added texture and flavor!

How To Make Carmelitas Cookie Bars

1. Melt the butter and then whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla.
2. Stir in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Feel free to use a pastry cutter to crumble it all together.
3. Press half of this mixture into a greased and lined 8×8-inch baking pan. Bake the crust.
4. Prepare the filling by heating up the caramels, cream, and salt until the mixture is smooth.
5. Remove the crust and evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over it.
6. Pour the caramel sauce over the layer of chocolate chips.
7. Cover the caramel sauce layer with the remaining crust mixture. Use your hands to lightly tap it down gently.
8. Bake the Carmelitas until they’re lightly browned.
9. Cool the pan on a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Store Carmelitas

Keep these Caramel Oatmeal Bars stored in an airtight container at room temperature and eat them within a week. You could also freeze them for up to 4 months.

Can I Use Instant Or Quick-Cooking Oats In This Recipe?

The texture of these bars is much better if you stick to using rolled or old-fashioned oats.

Is This A Recipe For Carmelitas That Can Be Easily Doubled?

It sure is! The only difference would be to cook them in a 9×13-inch pan if you decide to double the recipe.

Can I Use White Sugar Instead Of Light Brown Sugar?

Yes, swapping out the brown sugar for white sugar should work just fine. I do however find that the brown sugar gives it more of a caramelly flavor.

Could I Just Use Caramel Sauce From A Jar Instead Of Making It?

Caramel sauce from a jar is generally too thin to use. If you were able to find a really thick pre-made sauce then you could certainly try it!

What Kind Of Caramels Did You Use?

I used Kraft caramels (affiliate link), the ones that are wrapped in clear plastic.

How Can I Speed Up The Cooling Process For These Carmelitas?

You can pop the pan of Carmelita Bars in the refrigerator for about 3 hours!

I love bringing bars like these bars to parties, potlucks, and holidays since they’re an easy treat that pleases everyone! Here are more delicious bars recipes to bring to your next celebration!

• Oreo Magic Bars (7 Layer Bars) – Oreo cookies, chocolate chunks, coconut, nuts, and M&Ms combine for a rich filling that gets baked onto a cookie dough base!
• Key Lime Bars – Buttery shortbread crust with a layer of soft lime filling delivers a citrusy, sweet treat!
• Peanut Butter S’mores Bars – This easy-to-make dessert is made with graham crackers, peanut butter cookies, marshmallows, chocolate, and candy!
• Strawberry Cheesecake Bars – Creamy cheesecake, strawberry filling, and oatmeal crumble get layered into a sweet graham cracker crust!
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – Thick, sweet, and chewy bars that are filled with chocolate chips and M&Ms, ready in under an hour!

👋 Let’s Connect!

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review; I love hearing from you! And don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges and win prizes!