I think you’re gonna love these naughty little bars. They are chewy and chocolatey and dripping with caramel (quite similar to carmelitas, but sturdier). Divine and decadent, just the way I like it.
- Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
- 2 cups oats
- 1 1/2 cups AP flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
- Caramel Layer
- 11 oz. bag of caramels
- 1/4 cup milk
- Dash of salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray an 8×8″ baking pan.
- Start by making the caramel layer. Place caramels and milk in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is smooth. Stir in the salt and set aside to cool while you make the chocolate chip oat dough.
- Stir the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Now pour in the oat mixture and mix until just combined.
- Slowly mix in the chocolate chips. I mixed in 1 cup of the chips and reserved the other 1/2 cup to sprinkle over the top of the bars.
- Press 1/2 of the dough in your greased pan. Then pour the caramel sauce over the top. Carefully crumble the remaining dough over the top of the caramel. Then sprinkle on the rest of the chocolate chips.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven when the bars have turned golden brown.
- Allow the bars to cool for a minimum of 1 hour before slicing and serving.
I had the best caramel unwrapper in the land helping me 🙂
Add the caramel squares and milk to a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.
Smooth and melted. Allow the caramel to cool a bit while you prepare the dough.
Combine the oats, four, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the brown sugar and butter.
Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
Gently mix in the chocolate chips. I only mixed 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter and reserved the remaining 1/2 cup to sprinkle over the top of the bars.
Ready to assemble the bars. Press half of the dough into a well-greased 8×8″ baking pan.
Pour the caramel over the top.
Gently scatter the remaining dough over the top and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool for at least an hour before slicing and serving.
