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I stumbled upon Carmelitas while going through my grandma's old recipes and instantly knew I'd found a gem. These delightful treats with their buttery oat mixture surrounding gooey caramel and chocolate chunks have become a favorite at our family get-togethers. What I love most? You can whip them up without any fancy equipment—just grab some basic ingredients and put a little heart into it.
Irresistible Flavor in Each Square
Whenever I bake these squares I'm amazed by how the tender oatmeal base holds that wonderful mix of sticky caramel and melty chocolate. There's something truly special about mixing sweet flavors with a hint of salt that makes everyone grab another piece. I've watched these treats vanish from dessert tables way quicker than any elaborate dessert.
Your Ingredient List
Great Carmelitas start with quality butter—it creates that rich base everyone loves. Always go for traditional rolled oats as they give you that perfect bite you'll never achieve with quick oats. Dark brown sugar brings such nice depth and pairs with vanilla to fill your kitchen with mouthwatering smells. For caramel, I can't recommend Werther's Baking Caramels enough—they turn wonderfully smooth. A bit of heavy cream helps make that runny, luscious middle, while semi-sweet chocolate chips cut through the sweetness just right.
Putting It All Together
First, combine your melted butter with brown sugar and vanilla until it's fragrant and lovely. Toss in your flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Push half this mixture into your pan and bake it briefly. Meanwhile, melt those caramels with cream until they're totally smooth. Now for the best part—scatter chocolate chips over your warm base, pour that beautiful caramel all over, and sprinkle the leftover oat mix on top. After another short bake, you'll need to wait for them to cool, but I promise it's totally worth your patience.
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Storage Success
These yummy bars stay fresh for a week in a sealed container on your counter, though at my place they're gone much faster. If you want to plan ahead, you can freeze them for up to 4 months. Just let them sit out overnight when you're ready to enjoy them again.
Smart Baking Tricks
Don't rush cutting these treats—let them cool all the way first. Sometimes I stick them in the fridge to cool faster. Remember you can't swap in quick oats, they won't give you that awesome texture. When I'm cooking for lots of people, I make a double batch in a larger pan. These days I've been adding a tiny bit of sea salt to the caramel and it really makes the flavors pop.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Why is cooling time necessary?
- Cooling for 4 hours lets the caramel set fully. If you slice too soon, the bars will just fall apart.
- → Which caramel type works best?
- Werther's Soft Caramels work great, but Kraft Soft Caramels or Caramel Bits are good too.
- → Can these be frozen?
- Definitely. They stay good in the freezer for up to 4 months. Keep them airtight for a week at room temperature.
- → Why should the pan be lined?
- Caramel is sticky, so using foil makes cleaning easy and helps you lift the bars out perfectly.
- → Are quick oats okay to use?
- Nope, stick to whole-rolled oats for the best texture. Quick oats can make it too mushy.