These carmelitas bars walk the fine line between crispy outside and soft, gooey within. When you bite into them, the bubblegum-like centre comes to the fore, with the center spilling out as you chew. It has a lovely, creamy caramel core that squirts into your tongue.

Carmelitas are delectable treats that look like stacks of oats, chocolate, and caramel. The sauce gives them a silky buttery caramel velvet feel, making them a delicious gooey pleasure. It’s a delicious and rich dish.

The oats in the mix give the bars a nice texture and crunch. It’s like a soft chocolate-chip cookie stuffed with melting caramel. What isn’t to love?

Best of all, you don’t need a mixer to make these delectable treats. Making them is easy and basic.

It’s critical to get the flour-to-oat ratio correct for these. Anything that favors oats too much will make them stodgy yet unable to keep together correctly. Follow the recipe exactly, using additional flour as needed to make them stay together nicely.

The crust and topping are made from the same ingredients, however they are baked in distinct ways. This means that, although the taste remains similar throughout each bar, the various textures complement each other well.

Half of the mixture is baked for 10 minutes to help create the crust, and the other half is crumbled on top once the filling has been applied.

The stuffing is what really distinguishes this dish. It’s produced by combining caramel and heavy cream in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Once the filling is finished, spread it over the cooked crust, then sprinkle with chocolate and crumble over the remaining oatmeal mixture. The layered method not only makes it really simple, but it also gives them a gorgeous, marble-like look.

The pan is then baked until the borders have hardened and the middle is bubbling and molten.

After baking, let the contents of the pan to set and cool fully before slicing. This might take many hours or overnight, or you can place them in the refrigerator to assist them chill down even faster. Whichever method you choose, slicing should be done just before the exterior has fully set. If you cut too soon, you’ll end up with melted chocolate and caramel all over the place, and the bars won’t hold together.

The bars will still have that delicious gooey interior once chilled, and the sugar and butter in the mix will have caramelized and worked their way into every area of the bake. Words cannot express how grateful I am.

Do I have any recommendations for this recipe? Aside from allowing them to cool completely, I would also recommend that if you are concerned about them being too salty, add a pinch of salt. This counteracts the sweetness. You may do this with either the crust or the caramel sauce. Personally, I prefer the latter, but there’s no reason you can’t have it both ways!

I also highly advise you to line your frying pan with aluminum foil. Not everyone does this, particularly if they are already using cooking spray or oil, but I believe it makes cleanup so much simpler. Especially with something like chocolate, which may quickly get overcooked and burnt.

Ingredients

Oats

For this recipe, you’ll need rolled oats. They function better because they provide the necessary constancy. The texture of instant oats is powdery, and the consistency will throw your bar off. The oats must have the correct texture and crunch to ensure that the bars are likewise crispy.

Flour

1 cup all-purpose flour is required. If you choose, you may use gluten-free flour. It has no effect on the flavor. Whatever flour you choose, make sure the proportions are balanced with the rolled oats.

Caramel Squares

Take 35 wrapped caramel squares and unwrap them before melting them. These are melted and used to make the filling for the squares. The baked caramels are the finest to purchase. If you’re using caramel sauce, make sure it’s thick enough to handle baking. Attempt to get the highest quality caramel squares.

Brown sugar

cup of light brown sugar. Brown sugar adheres securely and contributes to the sweetness of this delight.

Vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Baking soda

1 teaspoon baking soda. This will assist in raising the crust.

Salt

a teaspoon of salt to even out the flavors

Heavy cream

a cup of heavy cream. If you use various kinds of cream, the dessert bar will be even more luscious, rich, and creamy. Regular milk may be used, but it will not be as creamy. Heavy cream also makes the filling easier to pour.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

You must meet them and combine them with the caramel. They should be semi-sweet to balance out the sweetness of the caramel.

Storage

To store carmelitas, first allow them to cool completely. After that, store them in an airtight container. They may stay fresh on the counter for 3 to 5 days if kept at room temperature. It is critical to ensure that they are kept in a cool, dry environment. The caramel stays soft when kept at room temperature.

Carmelitas may be kept in the refrigerator for 7 to 9 days. Allowing them to cool completely before cutting and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge is required.

When storing them in the refrigerator, try to maintain them in a flat layer rather than stacks. This is to prevent any cases of the caramel filling being squashed. The caramel filling gets somewhat firmer when kept in the refrigerator than when left at room temperature.

Can I Freeze Carmelitas?

When you freeze carmelitas, you’ll have a batch ready to serve as soon as you defrost them. You would effectively shorten the time required to produce carmelitas.

When freezing carmelitas, arrange them in a single layer in the freezer rather than stacking them. If one week isn’t enough time, you may freeze them to extend their shelf life. Carmelitas may be frozen for up to a month and up to four months. When this occurs, it is critical to understand how to properly thaw them out.

Slicing

This is done to ensure that the caramel is properly set and does not leak out. When it cools, the caramel will have hardened, making it easier to cut through. Allowing the bars to cool down might take up to 4 hours or more. Some people leave them out at room temperature overnight. This is the safest length of time to slice the carmelitas. If chilling at room temperature takes too long, place them in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Serving & Side Dish Ideas

Carmelitas with ice cream are a tasty delicacy. As a typical dessert, they pair nicely with ice cream.

You may top them with whipped cream if you like.The airy texture and whispy cream complement the carmelitas’ rich flavor.

Coffee- Carmelitas may also be served with a hot beverage like as coffee.

Milk Depending on your dietary needs, you may also take them with a glass of milk. You may use coconut milk instead of whole milk, for example.

FAQs

Where do carmelitas come from?

Carmelitas are a kind of Hispanic dessert. Carmelitas were originally mentioned in the Pillsbury Bake-Off by Erlyce Larson in 1967.

How to make oatmeal carmelitas keto-friendly

The secret to producing oatmeal carmelitas is to keep as little carbohydrates as possible on the site. This includes eliminating sugars. Cut out the oats and replace them with sliced almonds and flaked coconut to make them keto-friendly. Also, instead of all-purpose flour, use almond flour and a low-carb sweetener.

How to make oatmeal carmelitas gluten-free

Carmelitas may be made gluten-free by using gluten-free flour. Make sure to use gluten-free oats as well. Oat flour may be substituted.

How to make oatmeal carmelitas vegan-friendly

By utilizing non-animal ingredients, you can ensure that your oatmeal carmelitas are vegan. For example, instead of using heavy cream or ordinary milk, you may use coconut milk. You may use almond butter for ordinary butter. You may use almond butter as a butter alternative. Dairy-free chocolate chips may also be used.