Chocolatey, nutty, and filled with rich caramel, carmelitas are a delight for people of all ages! The original debuted at the 1967 Pillsbury Bake-Off, when Erlyce Larson introduced her recipe to the world. Reminiscent of a crumb bar, these delicious bake sale treats feature a gooey, crunchy layer of pecans, chocolate chips, and caramel sauce nestled in a buttery oat crust. They make a great after-school snack for kids, but are easy to pack up and carry to a potluck. Wait the full hour so they have plenty of time to cool and set before cutting into bars. Of course, if the prospect of hot cocoa and oozing caramel is too tempting to resist, go ahead and nibble on a bite. No one is watching!
What are the Carmelites?
Carmelitas are one of the richest cookies you’ll ever taste! The bottom crust and filling are made from a single cookie dough mixed with flour, old-fashioned oats, light brown sugar, baking soda, melted butter, and vanilla. Half of the dough is pressed into the bottom of the baking pan, then topped with the simplest of toppings: chopped pecans, chocolate chips, and caramel sauce. This recipe calls for gently heated caramel (like in ice cream topping) straight from the jar, which is much easier than unwrapping and melting individual candies like some other caramel recipes! Finally, the remaining cookie dough is crumbled on top and these bars are baked. A sprinkle of flaked sea salt is the finishing touch.
Can you make carmelitas in advance?
Carmelitas can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature.
Yield: 24 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Total duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
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Baking spray with flour, for the mold
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2 tbsp.
all purpose flour
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1 1/2 cups
old fashioned oatmeal
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1 1/2 cups
well-packed light brown sugar
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1 tsp
baking soda
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1 C.
(2 sticks) salted butter, melted
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1 tsp
vanilla extract
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1
(12 oz) caramel sauce for ice cream
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2 tbsp.
semi-sweet chocolate chips
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1 1/2 cups
pecan halves, chopped
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1 tbsp.
flaked sea salt
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and flour, line with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang, and spray again.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda. Add butter and vanilla and mix.
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Press half of the mixture into the prepared pan to form an even layer. Bake until set, about 10 minutes.
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Microwave caramel sauce until liquid, according to package directions.
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Sprinkle the crust with the chocolate chips and pecans. Pour the caramel in as even a layer as possible over the chocolate and nuts. Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top.
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Bake until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Let the bars cool completely, at least 1 hour. Cut them into 24 pieces and sprinkle them with fleur de sel.
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