Milk Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars is an old recipe from Kraft, but I updated it by using their new Kraft Caramel Bits instead of the caramel candies that have to be unwrapped.
I also added some chocolate chips and chopped up some of a chocolate bunny leftover from Easter. It melted as I put the hot caramel on, but baked up surprisingly well without compromising the flavor of the caramel much. It might have even enhanced it. Feel free to leave out the chocolate bunny.
New Pan Size, Better Recipe
I finally got around to making a recipe card for this one. The old version was for an 8-inch square pan, but this new version (slightly different version of the same recipe, but adapted from Pillsbury) fits a 9x13 inch pan. If you want an 8-inch pan version, there's a similar recipe here. It's another old one and the proportions are slightly different.
Milk Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars Filling
For the filling you can use 15 oz of unwrapped caramel or just buy two bags of Kraft caramel bits (they're about 11 oz each) and use about 1 ½ bags. I noticed that Brach's also has caramel for baking, so that's another option. Or use the soft Werther's, which are also good for baking.
Recipe
Milk Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
- 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (salted), softened
- 1 ½ to 2 cups milk or semisweet chocolate chips or a mix of the two
- 15 oz Kraft caramel bits (about 1 ½ bags) or other caramel
- 6 tablespoons cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or better yet, grease and line with parchment for easy removal.
- Mix the flour, oats, salt, baking soda and brown sugar together in a stand mixer bowl. Add softened butter and stir with the paddle attachment until mixture is thoroughly mixed – dough should just start to come together.
- Reserve a little less than half of the mixture and put it in the refrigerator while you make the caramel. Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Make caramel filling. In a saucepan, melt the caramel bits with the cream. Let cool slightly, then spread over the crust and chips.
- Sprinkle chilled reserved crumb mixture over top and bake for 20-25 minutes or until top layer is cooked. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Let cool completely, then lift from pan and cut with a Chef’s knife.
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie says
Caramel and oats are wonderful together--these look delicious!
Addicted Baker says
Love the layering in there! Your bars look yummy!
Hannah at FleurDeLicious says
That caramel layer looks sooo good. I might toss in some peanut butter chips...but oh my gosh do these look yummy!
Casey says
These look great! is there a better combination that oats and caramel??
holly says
These look like some fabulously yummy bar cookies:) I love all the caramel:)
Joyce says
These look so good. Love that really thick middle of caramel.
Gina says
These bars look amazing! I'll be trying these for sure.
Anna says
Tara, the two reasons I can think of are that a) you are overcooking it or b) the recipe just needs to have some cream or butter added. For instance, in this recipe the butter helps keep the caramel from getting too chewy.
Jan and Laura, thanks for letting me know! Jan, I don't usually post chicken salad but I liked that one a lot. Thanks for trying it and posting a review.
The Food Hunter says
Love these delicious looking treats.
Katrina says
I love caramel in treats, too. Love how nicely cut yours look with a perfect layer of caramel.
Laura says
Another comment unrelated to your awesome looking bars... Thanks for the pan advice on Texas Seet Cakes. I one this weekend (adapted a bunch of recipes), and it came out perfectly!
Jancd says
This has nothing to do with today's recipe, but I made your bridesmaid chicken salad today and I must say it is pretty amazing. I used just a hint of curry, but followed the rest of the recipe as you wrote it. I love it and can't wait to serve it to a friend that is coming over later today. It is different from any chicken salad I have made before. The lemon and lime stand out to make it light and refreshing. Thanks for your many wonderful recipes.
Tara says
Anna, these look scrumptious! One question: Whenever I try to make desserts with caramel, the caramel layer always winds up hardening into a gummy, almost un-biteable slab in the middle of my cookies or bars--not very appetizing. Do you have any insight into why this happens or how I could prevent it? Thanks!! 🙂
natalie (the sweets life) says
I love caramel in dessert bars! These look great!