Description
Gooey Chocolate Caramel Bars are a decadent dessert featuring a crumbly oat and brown sugar base, topped with rich chocolate chips, crunchy pecans, and a luscious caramel drizzle. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, these bars offer a delightful combination of textures and flavors that satisfy any sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups cold butter, cubed
Filling and Toppings
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the bars.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
- Cut in Butter: Cut the cold cubed butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or fingers until the texture resembles coarse crumbs. Set half of this mixture aside to use as a topping later.
- Press Crust: Press the remaining crumb mixture firmly into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan, forming an even layer that acts as the base of the bars.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until lightly golden and set.
- Add Chocolate and Pecans: Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped pecans over the warm crust.
- Prepare Caramel Drizzle: Whisk the caramel ice cream topping together with the reserved 1/4 cup flour until smooth to thicken the caramel slightly for drizzling.
- Top Bars: Drizzle the caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate and nuts, then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on top to finish.
- Bake Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and bubbly.
- Cool Bars: Allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack for 2 hours to set before cutting into pieces.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold for the crumbly texture in the crust and topping.
- Using quick-cooking oats gives a softer crumb; for a chewier texture use old-fashioned oats.
- Chop pecans coarsely for a better crunch and texture contrast.
- Allow bars to cool fully before cutting to avoid melting and sticking.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
