After months of procrastination, we finally finished our taxes yesterday! Nothing like waiting until the last minute, right? They’ve been on our to-do list every weekend since the end of February but we didn’t make them a priority until the deadline was staring us in the face. And now that I know we’re getting a little something back I think there’s some online shopping in my future! I’ve had my eye on a few new pieces for my summer wardrobe… π
And while we’re celebrating having accomplished this dreaded task, I think a sweet, gooey dessert might be in order too. Though, truthfully, it’s Monday, and isn’t that reason enough for a decadent little treat? Is Monday your least favorite day of the week? I think mine is actually Sunday, sometimes the anticipation of the long week ahead is worse than the reality.
I’d never heard of carmelita bars until fairly recently but once they were on my radar, I knew it wouldn’t be long until I’d be making them. Here’s what we have: an oat shortbread-like cookie crust topped with chocolate chips and salted caramel sauce finished off with a crumble topping. So easy, and so ridiculously good! The extra salt in the caramel really helps balance off all of the sweetness going on here. I stored the bars in the fridge then popped them in the microwave for a few seconds before eating them so they were uber gooey. A messy way to eat them, but my favorite!
This version calls for making your own salted caramel sauce to use in the bars. I promise the recipe here is super simple, and I always feel like homemade caramel sauce yields a better result than the caramel candies. The choice is yours though! Also, the original recipe called for pecans in the filling along with the chocolate and caramel. We’re not fans so I skipped them, but feel free to include them (or substitute your favorite nut).
Salted Carmelita Bars
slightly adapted from Kelsey Nixon (via Cooking Channel)
{Note: you can halve this recipe and bake in an 8-inch square pan.}
Salted Caramel
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Bars
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate chips
salted caramel sauce (from above, you should have about 1 1/3 cups)
To make the salted caramel: Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Swirl the pan to combine, then allow the mixture to come to a boil (don’t stir). Place a cover on the pan and continue boiling for 2-3 minutes (this allows the steam to clean any crystals off the sides of the pan. Remove the cover and continue cooking (still, no stirring) until the mixture is a deep amber color. Take the pan off the heat and add the heavy cream (be careful, it’ll bubble up). Add the butter and salt and whisk until combined – if you wind up with a few chunks of caramel, just set the pan over low heat and whisk frequently to melt them.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Add 2 cups of the flour, the oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly on low just to combine. Add the butter and beat on low speed until the butter is broken into small bits and the mixture is crumbly. Transfer about two-thirds of the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer over the bottom to form the crust (it’ll be a fairly thin layer). Bake for 10 minutes then remove the pan and transfer to a wire rack.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the crust. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour into the salted caramel sauce until incorporated, then pour the caramel over the chocolate chips in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the chocolate and caramel (I like to squeeze it in my hand so there are some bigger chunks mixed in). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned. Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I left mine overnight). Cut into squares and serve. I stored these in an airtight container in the refrigerator and briefly microwaved them for about 10 seconds before eating.
This really really is looking good. I have to my taxes in order to prepare myself a reward, Carmelitas!
These sound fantastic – can’t go wrong with chocolate and caramel! I have a really old recipe from my grandma for Oatmeal Carmelita Bars that I haven’t made in a long time. The concept is the same but it uses a jar of caramel ice cream topping.
I made carmelita bars a month or two ago and fel in love!! Yours lok to die for! I love the addition of salt!
These look like the perfect reward for finishing taxes! So yummy and decadent!!
Getting a little money back is the perfect excuse for shopping! I’ve had a few carmelita bars pinned for awhile but haven’t gotten around to making them which means I’m definitely making these this week. π
Ahhhhh such gooey goodness!
I adore these- you know I love salted caramel more than pretty much anything. I’ve never actually made Carmelitas but you’ve inspired me to try. I especially love that this uses a homemade caramel vs. store-bought π
These are perfect carmelitas! I wish I had some after finishing our taxes this weekend!
Thank you for vastly improving my Monday morning.
Just did my taxes yesterday too! *phew* (Nothing like having your back against the wall to make you wake up.) π
I could have used several of these caramelita’s as a reward for all that procrastination. They look scrumptious!
I almost always file my taxes the moment I have all my files to do so, but this year I put it off… until mid-March haha. As for summer wardrobes, when I got dressed for a festival here on Saturday I wanted to throw out my entire closet and start over.
I loooove a good bar filled with carmel! Yum!
Wow. Totally speechless!
I always wondered if carmelitas would maybe be too sweet for me but not with this salted version!! Hellz yes.
I feel like you might live in the boston area and you and your husband are runners. I wanted to see if you are ok.
@Leigh and Anthony – Thanks for checking, we’re safe! We weren’t at the race.
Good. I’m glad. So scary.
Leigh
Haha, i would have a nervous breakdown if i waited until yesterday for taxes π these look SO good. what a great reward for getting your taxes done!
So glad to see these! They’ve been on my baking to do list for a while. Sounds like I need to actually make them. π
I agree, Sunday is the day that a little bit of dread comes over me realizing it’s my last day before the next week. These bars would definitely brighten up a Monday. Or any day!
I just mailed my taxes in the day they were due – I’ve never been that last minute before and hated it! These look so good – I’m always so impressed by your food photography π
Ooh, the no nut version is my new favorite. After the taxes I had to pay this year, I don’t know when I’ll be able to buy more ingredients, but I might have to make these first.
I haven’t made these since I was a teenager! Thanks for the reminder. Can also use good ole fashion kraft caramels for the caramel layer
Totally drooling over these right now…while I eat carrot sticks at my desk. How cruel. π
These look HEAVENLY!
I don’t have a least favorite. Every day I work watching 2 small children, cooking and cleaning. There really is no day off!
oh my goondess! I love every component of this! Definitely going to have to try these!
I have never heard of these bars before! I am going to try this one day since I love affair with all thing caramel.
oh, these look amazing! Pinned these ones to make soon! π
Taxes are a definite cause for celebration, and these look so good! We finished ours on the 11th, so we didn’t beat you by much π
I love bar desserts – especially if they include salted caramel! These look delicious.
This sound sooooo good!! Yum!!
I don’t mind Mondays, its Tuesdays that I hate the most. Tuesdays are like hangover days of Mondays. It’s not fun. But I’m loving the look of these bars. I need to find a way to use up all my chocolate chips before the semester ends so I don’t have to throw them all away.
These bars are so gorgeous! I swear I can taste them through these wonderful photos, yum!
I made caramelita bars last year and they might be one of my favorite baked goods, ever! So delicious!
these look so yummy!
we saw carmelitas at whole foods the other day (the original whole foods in Austin!) and they sparked a craving…these sound amazing and I must make soon!!
i made these yesterday, and they were a little….AMAZING! My whole house loved them! i made Homemade Ice-Cream today and now have Carmelita Ice-Cream! Win!