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Chocolate caramel oatmeal bar with layered oat crumble, caramel center, and chocolate chips on a plate

Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips

Chocolate caramel oatmeal bars are layered dessert bars with a tender oat crumble, rich chocolate, and a smooth caramel center. They are a comforting choice for gatherings or whenever a sweet, textured treat is wanted.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 30 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 194
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 9 tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Filling
  • 12 oz / 340 g semisweet chocolate chips
  • 40 soft caramel candies
  • 6 tablespoons milk or cream

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  2. Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
  3. Add the melted, slightly cooled butter to the dry mixture and stir until a soft dough forms with a slightly crumbly texture. If the dough is too wet and heavy, add a little more flour.
Baking
  1. Press 3/4 of the dough evenly into a 9×13 baking dish and set aside the remaining 1/4 for the topping.
  2. Bake the crust for about 13 minutes, until the surface is barely golden brown.
Filling
  1. While the crust bakes, unwrap the caramel candies and melt them with the milk or cream in the microwave. Stir until the caramel mixture is smooth and pourable.
Assembly
  1. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the baked crust, then pour the melted caramel mixture over the chocolate.
  2. Crumble the reserved dough over the top, adding a little more flour if needed to make it crumbly enough.
Baking
  1. Bake the assembled bars for another 15-20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
  2. Let the bars stand for several hours until the caramel has cooled before serving.

Notes

Allow the bars to stand until the caramel cools so the layers set properly.