Classic Oatmeal Caramel Bars (Carmelitas)
Makes: 16 bars
Pan: 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20 cm)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 25–30 minutes
Cooling time: 2–3 hours
Ingredients
Oat Mixture
¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (90–100 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Caramel Filling
250–280 g soft caramel candies, unwrapped (about 35 candies)
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method
1. Prepare the Pan
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Line an 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment.
2. Make the Oat Mixture
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Add the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir until evenly combined and a crumbly dough forms.
3. Bake the Base
Press half of the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly set.
4. Prepare the Caramel
While the base is baking, place the caramel candies, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan.
Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until completely melted and smooth.
Microwave option: Heat in 30–40-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth.
5. Assemble the Bars
Remove the partially baked crust from the oven.
Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the crust.
Pour the warm caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate chips.
Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the caramel layer, covering the surface as evenly as possible.
6. Finish Baking
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the topping is lightly set.
Do not overbake-the caramel will continue to firm as the bars cool.
7. Cool and Slice
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan for at least 2–3 hours.
For cleaner cuts, refrigerate them briefly before slicing.
Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.
Tips
Cool completely: The caramel needs time to set. Cutting the bars while warm can cause the layers to smear.
For cleaner slices: Chill the bars before cutting and use a sharp knife.
For a 9 × 13-inch pan: Double the recipe and allow a few extra minutes of baking time if needed.
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Using caramel sauce: If you don't have caramel candies, substitute approximately 1 cup (240 g) thick caramel sauce. Use a thick sauce rather than a thin ice-cream topping so the bars set properly.
Chocolate variation: Semi-sweet chocolate provides a good balance against the sweet caramel, but milk or dark chocolate can also be used.
Texture: For the classic Carmelita experience, aim for a golden, slightly crisp oat topping with a chewy caramel center and a soft, buttery base.
#MariamFoodLab
Anyone know id Aldi’s Strong bread flour has Folic Acid in it. The packet doesn’t say it has. I phoned Aldi about it…they just asked for photos of the pack as different stores use different supplies. Odd or what?
White Cheddar Biscuit Waffles with Rosemary Sausage Gravy https://t.co/VmbVzENLnZ
This motivates me to up my game now that I've got the cornbread waffles down. And my gravy today was dark because it had chili crisp and chili crisp oil in it.
Poor Man’s Apple Cobbler. Anyone can make this cobbler. It’s sort of like a dump cake, but it’s a dump cobbler.
You dump everything in and cook.
It will be delicious.
“There’s no money in window cleaning.”
One customer. $7,232 Window cleaning and pressure washing.
When I started, people told me there was too much competition.
Anyone could grab a bucket and a mop.
No money in $150 jobs.
I agree.
But someone living in a $10 million house isn’t always looking for the cheapest quote.
How you show up, talk to people, and level with people matters way more.
A lot of people give advice based on how things went for them.
The truth is most people dont care and half ass things.
Their experience doesn’t decide how things will go for you.
This applies to any business.
I usually barely have caffeine and i had a triple espresso + 2 redbulls to drive to da redbull event cant sleep and im supposed to wake up in 5 hrs ✌️meanwhile @RustySniper_EUW was full passenger princess and is snug as a bug having the sleep of his life ts aint fair