If you’re looking for a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert, you’ll want to try this recipe for Carmelitas. It’s hard to beat this combination of caramel, chocolate, oats, and dark brown sugar! This recipe is delicious and simple to make. They’re one of my most requested recipes and one of my friends and family’s favorites.

Four Carmelitas (chocolate, caramel, oat bars) stacked on a bright blue plate.

They make a great after-school snack or dessert. This is one of my favorite desserts to take to any gathering. This dessert is sure to become one of your go-to recipes.

If you love oatmeal cookies, try my Oatmeal Craisin Cookies recipe. If you’re looking for more cookie recipes, check out my recipes for Molasses Spice Cookies and Valentine M&M Cookies. You can substitute any plain M&M’s in any color for this recipe, so they’re not just for Valentine’s Day.

What You’ll Love About Carmelitas Dessert

  • This recipe lends itself well if you’re looking for an opportunity for cooking with kids. My kids help most often by unwrapping the caramels. They can also measure ingredients and flatten the oats, flour, butter, and sugar mixture into the baking pan. 
  • They’re easy to make. 
  • You can keep the ingredients on hand for any time you need a last-minute dessert. Of course, I’m also a big fan of buying something to contribute too.
  • They’re a are great lunch box idea for kids because they hold up well and taste great!
Ingredients to make carmelitas.

Ingredients Needed to Make This Recipe

  • Unsalted butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Old-fashioned rolled oats
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Bittersweet chocolate chips
  • Store-bought chewy caramels like Kraft or Werthers
  • Milk

How to Make This Carmelita Dessert Recipe

Four glass bowls filled with ingredients to make Carmelitas.

Unwrap the caramels (a great activity for kids of most ages). Mine always enjoy eating a few of the caramels while they unwrap them. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of milk. Melt the butter and set aside. Mix together the oats, flour, dark brown sugar, salt, baking soda.

The bottom layer of oats, flour, and brown sugar for Carmelitas pressed thinly into a metal 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Add the melted butter to the oat, flour, and brown sugar mixture. Divide the mixture in half and press half into the bottom of a prepared 9 x 13 pan. Place in an oven preheated to 350 F and bake 8-10 minutes.

First layer of Carmelitas baked and ready for the layer of melted caramels, chocolate chips, and oatmeal crumble topping.

Melt the caramel in the microwave, stopping to stir about every 30 seconds until melted. Don’t let it bubble, or the caramel will get too hard during baking.

Melted caramels and chocolate chips over the first layer of baked oats, flour, brown sugar for Carmelitas.

Drizzle the melted caramel over the baked oat mixture. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel.

A 9 x13 inch metal pan of Carmelitas ready to be cut.

Crumble the second half of the oat mixture evenly over the chocolate chips. Return the pan to the oven and bake 7-10 minutes or until the top begins to brown a bit.

Four Carmelitas on a bright blue plate.

Allow to cool for a couple of hours. Cut the Carmelites dessert into 24-36 pieces.

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Expert Tips From a Registered Dietitian for Stress-Free Sweets

Expert Tips for Making Carmelitas Recipe

  • The bottom layer will seem very thin. That’s ok. It’s supposed to be that way.
  • When melting caramel, avoid overheating it. Caramel that gets too hot will become rock-hard. When microwaving the caramel, heat at 30-second intervals and stir after each interval.
  • Allow them to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour. Then put them (still in the baking pan) in the refrigerator for about an hour before cutting. You don’t have to put them in the refrigerator to cool, they’ll just need to cool longer at room temp to allow the caramel and chocolate to set.
  • If you’re taking them to an event outdoors, know that the chocolate and caramel may get a little melty, which means your fingers may get a little messy when you’re eating the bars. But they still taste amazing!
  • These last for up to a week (if they don’t all get eaten before then) stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Four Carmelitas on a bright blue plate.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze Carmelitas?

Definitely! Make a double batch and freeze one for the next get-together or anytime you’re in the mood for a delicious dessert. You can cut them or leave the Carmelites dessert as one 9 x 13-inch block and cut it into squares later.

Wrap them in plastic wrap and then place in a plastic Ziploc bag or wrap in aluminum foil. Lable with the name the date on the outside so you can find them in the freezer later. 

To thaw, simply remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw on the counter.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, this recipe doubles well. Bake them in two 9 x 13-inch pans.

Can I use instant or quick-cooking oats to make this Carmelitas dessert recipe?

It’s not recommended because you’ll lose the nice chewy texture the rolled oats give the bars.

Can I use different caramels or caramel sauce?

I typically use Kraft caramels, because they’re easier to find than the Werthers chewy caramels. But either brand works well. I haven’t tried the recipe with caramel sauce, but I will and will report back to you.

My Family’s 4th of July Tradition

What are your July 4th traditions?  Our 4th of July doesn’t have any food traditions (this is highly unusual for me because I love food traditions!). Though it does make me think of corn on the cob, fried chicken (or burgers and hot dogs on the grill), deviled eggs and watermelon.

If I was making a special meal for the 4th, I’d include some or all of these foods for sure! I’m guessing these were foods we had on the 4th of July when I was a kid. And for dessert, I’d likely make Carmelitas dessert.

We’ve been going to Chautauqua, NY for 10 of the past 11 years, and 9 of those years we’ve been there for the 4th of July. We’re there this year too! A big part of our tradition is the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra Pops Independence Day Celebration in the Amphitheater, which includes the audience popping paper bags in time to the cannon shots in the 1812 Overture!

Then, it’s just a short walk to the lake to watch the fireworks around Chautauqua Lake. When the girls were younger, they participated in the Children’s 4th of July Parade for all the Chautauqua Children’s School kids. Here’s a photo of Ellie in the Children’s School Parade back in 2012.

Female preschooler with blond hair dressed for the 4th of July.

More recipes and diet-free parenting tips

Four carmelitas (caramel, chocolate, oat bars) on a bright blue plate.

Carmelitas: A Simple Delicious Dessert

Elizabeth Davenport & Anna Lutz Carmelitas: A Simple Delicious Dessert
A simple, delicious crowd pleaser! Carmelitas are a go-to for potlucks, care packages, and cookouts. 
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips semisweet works fine too
  • 1 bag Kraft caramels unwrapped and melted with
  • 2-3 tablespoons of milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or lightly butter the pan.
  • Unwrap the individual caramels and place them in a microwave safe bowl along with about 2 tablespoons of milk. Set aside until ready to melt.
  • Cut the butter into pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl.  Melt and then allow to cool slightly.
  • Place the flour, oats, dark brown sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium-size mixing bowl and mix to combine.  Add the melted butter and mix until the ingredients come together.
  • Divide the mixture in half and put half of it in the prepared 9 x 13-inch pan.  Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. It will be a thin layer. Place in the oven and bake for 8 – 10 minutes.
  • While the first layer of the oat mixture is baking, place the caramels and milk you set aside earlier in the microwave and microwave about 30 seconds at a time until melted. Stirring after every 30 seconds with a heatproof spatula. You don’t want the caramel to boil or it will get too hard to eat when baked.
  • Remove the pan with the first layer of oats from the oven.  
  • Carefully pour the melted caramel over the baked oat mixture.  Then sprinkle on the 1 cup of chocolate chips. And last crumble the rest of the oat mixture evenly over the chocolate chips and caramel.
  • Place in the oven and bake another 7-10 minutes or until the oat mixture begins to brown.
  • Allow to cool for a few hours before cutting.  OR you can allow to cool about 30 minutes and then place the pan in the refrigerator for about an hour.  This makes the caramel more firm. I recommend this cooling option if you’re going to a picnic and it’s hot outside.
  • Cut the cooled Carmelitas into about 36 squares and enjoy!

Notes

I use a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, but the original recipe calls for a 9 x 11 inch baking pan which also works.
The bottom layer will seem very thin. That’s ok. It’s supposed to be that way.
Avoid overheating your caramel when melting it. Caramel that gets too hot, will become rock hard and you won’t be able to eat them. When microwaving the caramel, heat at 30 second intervals and stir after each interval.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Two females standing at a kitchen counter making a salad.

We’re Elizabeth & Anna!

It’s great to have you here. We’re registered dietitians and we share tips to support you in raising kids with a healthy relationship with food.

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