Carmelitas are dessert bars that have a buttery brown sugar oat crust, a melty chocolate and rich caramel center, and a crumbly oat topping. Dessert perfection!
I love switching up desserts — don’t get me wrong, chocolate chip cookies and brownies are amazing, but sometimes your sweet tooth needs something new. These carmelita bars are everything you love about cookies and candy rolled into one irresistible bite.
The top and bottom layers are soft, golden oatmeal cookie goodness, sandwiching a gooey caramel-chocolate center that melts together beautifully. One bite, and you’ll understand why these bars never last long at our house!
Why You’ll Love These Carmelita Bars
Gooey, melty, and a little bit of crispy in each bite. The combination of textures is totally divine!
Super easy to make. Even taking into account the different layers it’s pretty much just as easy as could be which is perfect for when you want a little something sweet but you aren’t up for a huge kitchen project.
No mixer needed. All you need is a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon.
These are always a huge crowd pleasers. I’ve never taken home leftovers when I’ve taken them to any kind of event.
Now this is dangerous, but you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry right now, so get baking!
Ingredients Needed for Carmelitas
The good news just keeps on comin’! Most of the ingredients for carmelita bars are pantry-friendly ingredients that you’ll already have at home. Here is what you will need:
- Flour: Gives structure to the oat layers so they hold the gooey filling together.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: Add chewy texture and that classic oatmeal cookie flavor we love in carmelitas.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth, enhancing the caramel and chocolate flavors.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the caramel and chocolate flavors pop.
- Baking Soda: Helps the oat mixture bake up light and slightly crisp instead of dense.
- Brown Sugar: Adds rich caramel flavor and moisture, giving the crust that buttery chew.
- Butter: Binds the oat mixture together and creates that golden, crisp, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Caramel Squares: Melt into that gooey, rich caramel center that defines carmelitas. You’ll want 37 pieces of the individually wrapped caramels, no more, no less.
- Evaporated Milk: Thins the caramel just enough so it’s pourable and soft when baked.
- Heavy Cream: Adds extra richness and keeps the caramel ultra-smooth and creamy.
- Chocolate Chips: We prefer a combination of milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate brings creamy, sweet chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with caramel. The semi-sweet chocolate adds balance and depth — just enough b