Milk Chocolate Caramel Oat Bars
Buttery caramel filled oat bars made with Kraft Caramel Bits. The original version called for milk chocolate but semisweet or a mix of both milk and semisweet also works.
Servings 24 pieces
Cost 5
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.