Classic Gooey Carmelitas

Name: Classic Gooey Carmelitas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, melted; 1 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all purpose flour; 2 cups rolled oats; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips; 1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping; 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

These chewy oatmeal bars are stuffed with layers of rich caramel and melty chocolate.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 American· July 19, 2026

recipesbynani.com

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

30 minutes

Total

45 minutes

Serves

Carmelitas are truly my favorite dessert to keep in the kitchen. They have the perfect combination of chewy oatmeal crust, silky caramel, and sweet chocolate chips that makes them impossible to resist.

I love making these for family gatherings because they are easy to slice and always a hit with kids and adults alike. A little tip is to let the bars cool completely before cutting them so you get nice clean squares instead of a gooey mess.

🧺 Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
3 tablespoons all purpose flour

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2
In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
3
Stir in the 2 cups of flour, oats, baking soda, and salt until you have a crumbly dough.
4
Press half of the oat mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes.
5
While the base bakes, whisk the caramel topping with the 3 tablespoons of flour in a small bowl.
6
Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the warm crust.
7
Drizzle the caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate chips.
8
Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the caramel layer.
9
Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
10
Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing and serving.

💡 Tips

Store these bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. You can also warm a single square in the microwave for a few seconds if you want that extra melty experience.

#dessert #oatmeal #chocolate #bars #homemade

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