Marlene’s Caramelitas

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Layers of buttery oatmeal cookie sandwich a layer of caramel, pecans and chocolate chips come together for a perfect holiday treat. Caramelitas are a must have for the holidays or any time your sweet tooth begs for something special.

If you are looking for a rich and gooey dessert, caramelitas are just the thing! They have a buttery brown sugar and oatmeal crust with a gooey caramel, chocolate and pecan center that will make your sweet tooth sing!

Cookie bars are a great way to share something special with friends and family. My aunt’s recipe for caramelitas brings together golden butterscotch oatmeal layers with rich caramel and chocolate goodness in the middle.

They are a Christmas must have for my aunt and cousins but are really perfect all year long.

One of the best parts about bars like these are they are relatively quick to make. You don’t have to worry about loading tray after tray of individual cookies into the oven.

Instead you get to just press the dough into a pan and build up the layers. It’s less monotony.

As you build up the layers of goodness, you know you are making something delicious. Not to mention the smell when you take them out of the oven… so good!

Tips for Making These Caramel Oatmeal Bars

To make cutting the bars easier, you’ll want to line your pan. You can use parchment or aluminum foil.

Once your bars are completely cooled, you can lift the whole batch out of the pan. Then you can cut straight across the entire length without hitting the sides of the pan.

You can cut them into quite a few smaller squares. They are rich, so you don’t need a huge slice.

Besides, you can always get a second one if you are super hungry. You know I won’t judge!

If you don’t want to line the pan, of course you don’t have to. Just spray it and cut the bars in the pan.

They will still be tasty, but the first piece may not be pretty if you try to get them out while they are warm. Of course that will give you a good excuse to go ahead and taste test, so it won’t be the end of the world!

Storing Caramelitas

Marlene suggests you store carmalettes in the refrigerator. Then she says to warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave before you eat them.

I must say the warm slightly melted chocolate chips and caramel center are amazing.  So I totally agree with her recommendation!

You can also freeze them for longer storage. You will want to defrost them or warm them up in the microwave a bit before you take a bite though, that center freezes pretty hard!

Caramelitas are perfect for holiday trays for sure. They would also be amazing for summer potlucks and bbqs.

There really isn’t a time they wouldn’t be good! If caramel, chocolate and sweet goodness are your thing, these are for you!

More Recipes You May Enjoy

If you like Marlene’s treats, you are going to love her sour cream cookies.  Her fudge frosting is also amazing on brownies or served warm as hot fudge over ice cream.

For another spin on gooey pecan treats, try making pecan dream bars. They start with a cake mix base and have condensed milk, toffee and pecans on top.

Or try making bear paw candies with caramel, cashews and chocolate. They are another tasty and cute treat!

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Yield: 36 Servings

Marlene's Carmalettes

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These gooey bars are the perfect mix of oatmeal, pecans, chocolate and caramel. They are easy to put together and taste amazing. Warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds for an extra gooey and decadent experience.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 22 oz. caramels or caramel bits
• 10 Tablespoons evaporated milk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups melted butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Melt caramels in evaporated milk.  Cool slightly.
3. In large bowl combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and melted butter. 
4. Press half of the dough mixture into a greased or parchment lined 9x13-inch pan. 
5. Bake for 10 minutes. 
6. Gently pour caramel over bottom crust. Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over caramel.
7. Break remaining dough into small bits and sprinkle over the top of the goodies to make an even layer.
8. Bake 20 additional minutes.
9. Chill at least one hour before cutting into bars. 

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view my disclosure page for more information.

• 
  King Arthur, Pre-Cut Baking Parchment Paper, Heavy Duty, Professional Grade, Nonstick, Reusable, Resealable Pack, Fits 18" X 13" Pan, 100 Count
• 
  Nordic Ware Prep & Serve Mixing Bowl Set, 3-pc, Set of 3, Coastal Colors

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 187mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.

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