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I am always looking for new, simple treats to make in my kitchen that smell amazing and leave me without a mountain of complicated dishes. That is exactly where these easy, fudgy Carmelitas Cookie Bars came to the rescue. The perfect comfort dessert with bakery-level indulgence.
If you love the rich, comforting taste of classic oatmeal cookies but want something a bit more decadent, then this is your new favorite cookie bar. I’ve refined this method over the years to ensure the middle layer stays wonderfully gooey without turning into a runny mess when you slice it. I promise these bars are going to disappear before your eyes!
Table of Contents
- What is a Carmelitas Cookie Bar?
- Key Takeaways
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make the Carmelitas Cookie Bars
- Pro Tips for Best Carmelitas Cookie Bars
- Variations and Substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve with Caramelitas Cookie Bars
- Storage and Reheating
- More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Carmelitas Cookie Bars Recipe
What is a Carmelitas Cookie Bar?
Carmelitas cookie bars are a popular dessert bar that is made of a sweet, buttery oatmeal cookie crust layered with semi-sweet chocolate chips and gooey caramel. It’s then topped with an additional layer of oatmeal cookie crumbles. These are loved for their combination of chocolate, gooey caramel, and textured oats.
Key Takeaways
- Ready in less than 45 minutes!
- Makes a 9×13 family-sized batch of dessert bars.
- Uses everyday pantry ingredients like brown sugar, oats, and chocolate chips.
- Perfect for a fun, quick baking project, especially with the kids involved.
- Easy to make and store throughout the week.
- This recipe is completely foolproof. I’ve tested it and refined it to perfection!
- Wonderful balance of textures.
Ingredient Notes
All-Purpose Flour: This forms the structural base for the cookie bars. This will ensure the top and bottom crust hold up to the rich center.
Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Adds the rustic chewiness and texture. Old-fashioned rolled oats work the best and will give the bars the structure they need to avoid being too soft or crumbly.
Brown Sugar: The brown sugar adds the caramel-molasses flavor.
Baking Soda: A gentle leavening agent that keeps the crust and topping from turning into dense bricks, giving them a light, tender-crisp bite.
Salt: The salt is vital to offset the sweetness.
Butter: The butter will bind the dry ingredients and make a buttery, rich dough.
Kraft Caramels: These caramels provide the rich, thick, reliable center that you are planning on when you bite into a carmelitas cookie bar.
Evaporated Milk: When combined with the caramels, this will turn them into a velvety sauce that makes the creamy filling.
Heavy Cream: Works alongside the evaporated milk to create that velvety, rich sauce.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Adds the bold, fudgy layer in the center that breaks up the caramel and butter flavors.
How to Make the Carmelitas Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a couple inches of overhang on each side for easy removal later. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the melted butter and mix until everything is evenly combined.
- Press half of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven while keeping the oven on.
- While the crust bakes, add the caramels, evaporated milk, and heavy cream to a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until the caramels are fully melted and smooth.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the baked crust.
- Pour the melted caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate chips.
- Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out with the foil and slicing into bars.
Pro Tips for Best Carmelitas Cookie Bars
- Make sure to line the pan with either foil or parchment paper for baking. If you leave a little bit of overhang, this creates a sling and makes it easy to lift the cookie bars out and slice them.
- The cookie bars MUST be chilled first to get the best clean cuts when slicing.
- Use high-quality old-fashioned oats so that the flakes are larger and better for structural integrity.
- Warm your knife under hot water, then wipe it dry before slicing the cold caramel bars, this will prevent sticking.
Variations and Substitutions
- Salted Caramel Carmelitas – Sprinkle a half teaspoon of flaky sea salt directly over the caramel layer before adding the oat topping for a sweet and salty twist.
- Add Nuts – Stir in toasted pecans or walnuts right over the top for a crunchy texture.
- Gluten-Free Swap – Use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour to make these gluten-free. Also, be sure that your oats are certified gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
These can be made a day in advance. They taste even better the next day once the rich caramel and chocolate layers have fully set.
Once the bars are completely cooled and cut, place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray to flash freeze for 1 hour. Then the frozen bars can be stored in a freezer-safe storage bag for up to 2 months.
Use old-fashioned oats for the best structure. These oats are larger and hold their shape better than other oats, like quick oats.
High-quality, thick caramel topping can be used, but you would need to add 3 tablespoons of flour to it so that it is thick enough for the final bake. Do not use thin, runny syrups.
What to Serve with Caramelitas Cookie Bars
Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries
Chantilly Cream Whipped Topping
Cold Glass of Milk or Hot Coffee
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator
Keep the sliced carmelitas in an airtight container, separated by sheets of parchment paper. They will stay fresh at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
Freezer
Place sliced cookie bars on a parchment-lined baking sheet; flash freeze for 1 hour. Once frozen, place the individual squares into a freezer-safe storage bag and store them for up to 2 months. Let them come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Reheating
If you love that straight-out-of-the-oven taste, then place the bar on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 10 to 15 seconds.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
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Best Fried Chocolate Glazed Donuts (Classic Yeast Recipe)
Carmelitas Cookie Bars are going to make you feel like an experienced bakery-level pastry chef, but I won’t tell the secret of how easy these actually are! With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious, unforgettable dessert that everyone will be begging for more of. This is the perfect answer to a chaotic week when you want to surprise the family with a comforting, gooey treat.
Carmelitas Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Crust and Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1⅓ cups butter, melted
Filling
- 1½ 11-ounce bags Kraft caramels, unwrapped
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a couple inches of overhang on each side for easy removal later. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the melted butter and mix until everything is evenly combined.
- Press half of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven while keeping the oven on.
- While the crust bakes, add the caramels, evaporated milk, and heavy cream to a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until the caramels are fully melted and smooth.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the baked crust.
- Pour the melted caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate chips.
- Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out with the foil and slicing into bars.
Notes
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting. The caramel layer needs time to set or the bars will fall apart when sliced.
- For cleaner cuts, chill the bars for 30–60 minutes before slicing.
- Nonstick foil works especially well for this recipe and makes cleanup much easier.
- You can substitute soft caramel bits for unwrapped caramels to save time.
- These bars are rich, so smaller squares are usually perfect for serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for a slightly firmer texture.
- Carmelitas freeze very well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
