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This recipe for Carmelitas is a divine cookie bar that combines layers of buttery oats, gooey caramel, and rich semisweet chocolate. With a perfect balance of sweetness and texture, these bars are a heavenly treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Quick and easy to make cookie bars are delicious and gone in minutes! If you love making cookie bars you must try more of my favorites like these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars, these tummy Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars or these classic Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
Easy Carmelitas Recipe
Have you tried a Carmelita yet?! It is one of the best cookie bars that I have eaten. They are a type of oatmeal bar or cookie bar consisting of layers of caramel, chocolate, and oats. The name “Carmelitas” comes from the word “caramel” due to the prominent caramel layer in the recipe.
Due to how simple and easy they are to make, Carmelitas have become our family’s go-to choice for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings. They are easy to make, and once you try one, you won’t be able to stop! But I will warn you, you should double the batch because these will disappear off your table so quickly!
Carmelitas Ingredients
Combining the rich flavors of caramel, chocolate, and buttery oats, these bars are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can create a delightful dessert that will impress family and friends. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
- Caramel: Buy the squares that are wrapped and unwrap them before melting.
- Heavy cream: This makes the caramel sauce rich and creamy.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Pack your brown sugar when you are measuring it.
- Flour: This acts as the base of the cookie bars.
- Rolled oats: I prefer to use rolled oats over quick oats.
- Baking soda: This helps the crust to ruse.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips because they balance the flavors and aren’t too sweet.
How to Make Carmelitas
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8×8 pan, (or you can line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier removal).
- Mix together caramel filling: In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar. Add flour, oats, and baking soda. Mix until combined.
- Make then bake the crust: Divide the cookie mixture in half and pat half of the mix into the bottom of the 8×8 pan. Bake for 10 minutes and remove.
- Combine caramels: While baking, combine the caramels and heavy cream and stir until completely smooth. You can also melt the caramels in the microwave. Just stir every 30 seconds, being careful not to let it burn.
- Layer the caramel and chocolate chips: Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crust. Pour caramel mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble the remaining cookie dough.
- Bake again: Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
- Let cool before cutting: Once removed from the oven, let them completely cool and set up the caramel. The caramel is like molten caramel right out of the oven, and you want to let it cool. If needed, you can speed up the cooling process by putting it in the fridge.
Tips and Variations
These Carmelitas are so simple to make and taste amazingly good! Combined, this is a one-of-a-kind, melt-in-your-mouth Carmelitas recipe worth every calorie!
- Caramel: Good quality caramel is best for these Carmelitas. I prefer using individually wrapped Worthers caramels.
- Thinner crust: For a thinner crust, you can use a 9×9 baking pan. You do not need to double the recipe or add ingredients to the bigger pan.
- Chocolate chips: Milk chocolate chips will work great. If that is too sweet, use the semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
- Parchment paper: The caramel can get sticky so this will save you so much time cleaning up.
- Cool completely: It is best to have the Carmelitas cool completely before cutting them into squares.
Storing Leftovers
I am not really sure who has stored Carmelitas for very long because every time we make them, they are gone before I can move my hand away from the plate! But if you have leftovers, here is how you store them:
- In the Refrigerator: Once cooled, the Carmelitas can be stored in an airtight container in a cool space for 5 to 7 days. If you like a chilled Carmelita, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 to 9 days.
- In the Freezer: Layer the Carmelitas on parchment paper and store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag to freeze for up to 1 month.
More Delicious Caramel Desserts
Caramel is irresistible at our house which is why I have so many different recipe options with this ingredient! Check out some more of my favorite caramel desserts. you are going to have a hard time choosing a favorite!
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Carmelitas
Ingredients
- 32 caramel squares unwrapped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8×8 pan (or you can line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier removal).
- In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar. Add flour, oats, and baking soda. Mix until combined.
- Divide the cookie mixture in half and pat half of the mix into the bottom of the 8×8 pan. Bake for 10 minutes and remove.
- While baking, combine the caramels and heavy cream and stir until completely smooth. Can also be melted in the microwave, just stir after every 30 seconds being careful not to let it burn.
- Remove pan from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Pour caramel mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble remaining cookie dough on top.
- Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
- Once removed from oven allow them to completely cool and the caramel to set up. The caramel is like molten caramel right out of the oven and you want to let it cool. You can speed up the cooling process by putting it in the fridge if needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you freeze?
Yes! These Carmelitas bars do well frozen. Simply layer them and add them to an airtight container or ziplock bag to freeze for up to 1 month.
I doubled, but I think I should not have doubled the butter. It looked to me that was to wet. It took longer too cook and started to look very brown. We will see what the end result looks like. I’m sure it will taste great. I’m used a 9×13 pan. Butter and brown sugar cannot go wrong! Lol
Did the same. Don’t double recipe. I did a 9×13 it was still good do I did 5 mins at a time after and it was browning a dark color so I putt it in the fridge for 3 hours.
Absolutely delicious!
delicious when served with vanilla icecream
this is so decadent and delicious i made a double batch and they were all gone really nice served with vanilla ice cream especially when they are a little warm
Just tried my first carmelita yesterday. Mind blown!!!
YAY!! That is awesome to hear! I am so glad that you tried it and loved it!! Thank you so much for sharing! XOXO
Carmelita bars were simple to make and are absolutely delicious! I doubt they will be around for long!
They usually don’t last long at our house. Good luck;)! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
I have made these for years and are always a hit. Every time that I’ve brought to a party, I am always, always, asked for the recipe. Mine however, inlcudes 1/2 cup chopped pecans which really makes it.
MMM! The pecans sound great and what a great touch you have! I am so glad that everyone loves them! Thanks so much for following along with me! XOXO
My daughter made these Carmelita’s tonight as the recipe indicated and butter was just dripping from the bottom of the bars. She used old fashioned oats. Should she have used quick oats? I have a similar recipe and it calls for 1 cup butter for a 13x 9 pan.
Quick oats are better but it shouldn’t have made a huge difference. It may be able to soak up more of the butter. I am sad it didn’t work out for her. I hope she can find another recipe that works better for her. XOXO
I just took it out of the oven and the cookie topping seems like it needed more butter. It’s still really dry – almost dusty. I’m swirling the caramel now to try to dampen it. Is it the butter measurement that needs to be increased?
No these turn out perfect for me, I even made them for a church function on Friday. They should just feel like a cookie. How were they when you let them cool and cut into them? Maybe they were over baked or an ingredient was missed? Sorry they didn’t turn out. These are the BEST.
Thank you, Alyssa for sharing this wonderful and easy-to-make recipe!
I made it for a cookie exchange at work and two people ate theirs early to rave reviews. One person works in an Italian family bakery and took them back to share with coffee. After her brother ate one, he called up and wanted to know where she got them. She will be making them for the family dinner.
I’m bringing these for Christmas dinner and giving them away in my NYE loot bag. A sweet ending to 2015 and hopes for a sweet 2016.
i made these but the recipe is incomplete. It doesn’t tell you when to add chocolate chips so I added them last. I also didn’t have enough cookie mixture to add to top, it clumped up and I just spread it around as best I could. Who knows how these will turn out, in oven now
Same here
This recipe sounds simple enough that I might try it. I have been singing “Carmelita,” a song about a different kind of sweet by Linda Ronstadt since 1977. In Tucson, at a little Mexican cafe, I had a breakfast drink that was made of milk, cinnamon, sugar, and other spices, and it was wonderful. Does anyone know the name of this traditional Mexican drink? I know it isn’t “leche dulce,” or something so simple because I can remember it being a more complicated name, but I can’t remember it. Thanks for the simple carmelita recipe.
May God bless us all,
a little late, but are you talking about horchata? (you don’t pronounce the h)
🙂
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you… My recipe was also lost. For some odd reason I googled it and found your site. I am so grateful and excited to make these again and not just for Christmas.
Thank You again Alyssa,
Tina 🙂
I have made these a couple of times now and they are amazing. Everybody who has had them has raved about them and asked for the recipe. Thanks for the great, easy to make recipe.
I made these they are super easy and they are wonderful. My family loved them.