These chewy, decadent Carmelitas are the ultimate dessert bar mashup! Featuring a rich buttery brown sugar rolled oat crust, a gooey molten caramel center loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and spiced apple slices, and a crispy golden crumble topping finished with flaky sea salt, they are completely irresistible.
Made easily in an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish with simple pantry ingredients, this bakery-style treat takes just 15 minutes of prep. Serve slightly warm when the caramel is ultra-stretchy and gooey, or chilled for rich, fudgy bar slices!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Unbeatable chewy & gooey texture: A crisp buttery oat crust encasing a thick, molten salted caramel and chocolate center
- Autumn apple twist: Thinly sliced spiced Honeycrisp apples add fresh tart sweetness that cuts through the rich caramel
- Simple pantry staples: Made with rolled oats, brown sugar, butter, flour, chocolate chips, and caramel—no mixer required!
- Incredible crowd-pleaser: Perfect for holiday cookie platters, potlucks, autumn game days, and bake sales
If you love rich dessert bars like our Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake and our French Apple Cake, these salted caramel apple Carmelitas will quickly become your family’s favorite.
Key Ingredients & Smart Substitutions
Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need for the oat crust and gooey filling:
- Rolled Oats: 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (provides hearty chew and texture).
- Flour: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Brown Sugar: 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (adds rich caramel notes to the crust).
- Butter: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly.
- Caramel: 1 jar (12 to 14 oz) thick caramel sauce or unwrapped soft caramels melted with 1/3 cup heavy cream.
- Chocolate: 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
- Apples: 1 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced with a pinch of cinnamon.
- Baking Soda, Vanilla & Salt: 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and flaky Maldon sea salt for sprinkling on top.
How to Make Carmelitas (Step-by-Step)
1. Mix & Par-Bake Oat Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper with overhang. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir until a crumbly dough forms. Press half of the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes to set the base.
2. Layer Apples, Chocolate & Caramel: Remove pan from oven. Immediately scatter the chocolate chips and thin apple slices evenly over the warm crust. Pour the rich golden caramel sauce evenly over the top, spreading to the edges.
3. Top with Streusel & Bake: Crumble the remaining half of the oat mixture evenly over the caramel layer. Return to the oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the caramel is bubbling up around the sides.
4. Cool, Slice & Garnish: Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours (or chill in the fridge for 1 hour) so the caramel sets for clean slicing. Lift out using parchment overhang, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Chef's Secret for Perfect Carmelitas
- Thick caramel sauce: Use a high-quality thick caramel sauce or melt Kraft caramels with heavy cream
- If caramel is too runny, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to keep it thick and gooey during baking
- Cool completely before cutting: Cutting while steaming hot will cause the molten caramel to run
- For ultra-clean bakery squares, chill in the fridge for 1 hour before slicing!
Variations & Add-in Ideas
- Nutty Crunch: Add 1/2 cup of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts to the oat crumble mixture.
- White Chocolate & Cranberry: Swap semi-sweet chocolate for white chocolate chips and dried tart cranberries.
- Flaky Sea Salt: Never skip the flaky Maldon sea salt on top — it creates that irresistible salted caramel contrast.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
To Store: Store cut bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, or microwave for 10 seconds for a warm, molten center!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Carmelitas in a 9×13-inch pan?
Yes! Double all ingredients and bake the crust for 12 minutes, then bake the assembled bars for 22 to 25 minutes.
Can I make them without apples?
Yes! Traditional Carmelitas are made with just oats, caramel, and chocolate chips—the apples are an optional delicious autumn variation.
More Decadent Dessert Bars to Savor Next
- Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake — St. Louis-style molten pumpkin dessert bars.
- Applesauce Cake — Old-fashioned spiced snack cake with caramel frosting.
- French Apple Cake — Parisian custardy cake packed with fresh apple chunks.
Carmelitas
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Description
Carmelitas are a delightful treat that perfectly combine chewy oats, rich chocolate, and gooey caramel. These irresistible layered bars are not only quick to prepare but also versatile enough for any occasion. Whether it’s a family gathering or a cozy movie night, these sweet delights will have everyone coming back for more—prepare to impress your friends and family with this crowd-pleasing dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 jar (12 to 14 oz) thick caramel sauce (or caramels melted with 1/3 cup heavy cream)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled and thinly sliced with pinch of cinnamon
- Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Make & Par-Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper. Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and melted butter. Press half into pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Layer Apples, Chocolate & Caramel: Scatter chocolate chips and thin apple slices over warm crust. Pour caramel sauce evenly over the top.
- Top with Crumble & Bake: Crumble remaining oat mixture over caramel. Bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Cool, Slice & Garnish: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Cool completely, slice into bars, and enjoy gooey caramel bliss!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
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