Oatmeal Carmelitas (Quick & Easy Recipe)

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5 ingredients + 35 minutes = a delicious batch of soft and decadent oatmeal carmelitas, a bar cookie that’s a caramel lover’s dream!

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I’m a caramel gal. I cast caramel the same longing looks that most folks reserve for chocolate. Creamy, gooey caramel has always called my name louder than any other form of candy. So as a caramel lover, when I tell you that today’s recipe is something special, you need to know that I am sharing one of my treasures with you.

I’m pretty sure every time someone eats an oatmeal carmelita, an angel earns its wings or God smiles, or maybe a baby is born, or something like that. Either way, I’m pretty sure it’s a big deal in Heaven ;).Oatmeal carmelita bars were first published in a Pilsbury cookbook in 1979 and are still beloved today. One bite and you’ll see why.

Fortunately, when I say this is a quick and easy oatmeal carmelitas recipe, I mean it. All you need is 5 ingredients (flour, oats, butter, brown sugar, and caramel) and 35 minutes and you’ll have a big batch of these beautiful bars. They’re soft and filled with the most irresistible ooey-gooey caramel center. Plus, the oatmeal and brown sugar crumbly topping adds to the caramelized flavor. I tell ya, a caramel lover’s dream! Let’s get started!

Recipe Ingredients

Brown sugar (I prefer dark)
Old-fashioned oats (quick oats will also work)
Self-rising flour
Melted butter
Caramel

Place everything but the caramel in a large bowl.

Stir that together real good until it’s well blended.

Now get a pinch of it to taste because it is WONDERFUL!

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. You can wait for them to thaw in the fridge or enjoy them from frozen.

Recipe Notes

Traditionally, I could only find the caramel in the Mexican aisle, but these days you can usually locate it in the bakery section at your local grocery store. But if you want to make your own caramel check out our recipe for homemade dulce de leche here.
If you want to step up the indulgence, you can spread 1 cup of semi-sweet milk chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of chopped pecans over the caramel layer. You can use any kind of chocolate (milk, white, or dark chocolate) and your favorite nuts, like walnuts.
For a salted caramel touch, add a pinch to the oatmeal mixture.

Check out these other delicious cookie bar recipes:

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Bars

Butter Bars From Scratch: Gooey Goodness Awaits!

Recipe for Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ooey Gooey Cherry Bars

Easy Oatmeal Carmelitas

5 ingredients + 35 minutes = a delicious batch of soft and decadent oatmeal carmelitas, a bar cookie that's a caramel lover's dream!

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: oatmeal

Servings: 36

Calories: 125kcal

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup butter melted
2 cans dulce de leche or caramel 14-ounce each

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the first four ingredients until well blended.
2 cups self-rising flour, 2 cups old-fashioned oats, 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar, 1 cup butter
Pat half of the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
Spread all of the caramel sauce over the top of the oat mixture until evenly covered. Sprinkle this with the remaining crumb mixture.
2 cans dulce de leche or caramel
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool at least slightly before serving so caramel will be set again.

Notes

If you want to make your own caramel check out our recipe for homemade dulce de leche here.

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