Nana Mabel’s Carmelita Bars
Published 11/9/2024
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You haven’t lived until you’ve tried our Nana Mabel’s Carmelita Bars! Every bite is a crunchy, sweet, and gooey indulgence of crispy oats, rich chocolate, and creamy caramel. It’s the perfect sweet treat for any occasion!
My Nana Mabel has brought these carmelita bars to every family occasion I can remember, and they are always a hit at gatherings and potlucks. She would even carry on a Tupperware of perfectly stacked carmelitas and fly to family gatherings — they’re truly one of the most nostalgic desserts for me and my family ❤️ . Even though she has since passed away, you’ll never be at one of our family Thanksgivings, Christmases, birthdays — you name it — where someone has continued the tradition and brought a batch of carmelitas.
The caramel tastes SO YUMMY with the crunchy oats and walnuts, and the chocolate chips just take it to a whole new level.
Just mix the batter, bake, then add the chocolate-walnut-caramel layer, top with the leftover batter, and bake again until a gorgeous golden brown. Super simple and sweet, just like our Nana was!
What You Need to Make Nana Mabel’s Carmelita Bars
- Quick-cooking oats: We prefer quick-cooking oats in this recipe for their smaller size and softer texture.
- Light brown sugar: This gives the bars their rich, caramely flavor.
- Salted butter: Make sure you use softened butter to make the batter smooth and easy to mix.
- Chopped walnuts: Use raw walnuts for the best texture and flavor.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: These add a touch of sweetness and an irresistible chocolatey layer to the bars.
- Caramel sauce: Ties everything together with its gooey sweetness. You can use store-bought or homemade caramel sauce.
- Electric mixer: This will help you mix the batter so everything is evenly incorporated.
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Family Recipe Series
All of the recipes in this series are inspired by someone special in each of our families. These are the recipes we grew up enjoying during the holidays. From our hearts to yours ❤️
Can I swap quick-cooking oats with old-fashioned oats?
Yes, you can definitely substitute the oats, but keep in mind that the texture may be slightly different. Quick-cooking oats are thinner and more finely chopped, while old-fashioned oats are thicker and chewier. If you prefer a smoother and softer texture in your bars, then quick-cooking oats would be a better choice.
What kind of caramel sauce is best?
We used Ghiradelli caramel sauce, but any caramel sauce will do. You can also make your own caramel sauce at home if you prefer.
Try These Carmelita Bars with Sunflower Seeds!
Rosie’s (our kitchen manager!) daughter has nut allergies so she tested this carmelita bars recipe with sunflower seeds, and we’re happy to report that it worked great. Sweet and salty flavors come together to create a delicious and unique twist on the classic bars!
here’s a tip!
To make these bars extra gooey, top them with an additional layer of caramel sauce after baking. Simply heat up the caramel sauce in a small saucepan or microwave and drizzle it over the warm bars. Let them cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving. Yum yum.
Storage
These carmelita bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep them for longer, you can store them in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just make sure to bring them back to room temperature before serving.
Carmelita Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.75 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
Topping
- ¾ cups chopped walnuts, raw
- 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, ~1cup
- ¾ caramel sauce, we used store-bought ice cream topping
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- Next, add the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and butter to a bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix until completely combined.
- Press half of the batter into the bottom of the pan and set the other half of the batter aside for later. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Spread the walnuts and chocolate chips over the baked crust.
- Mix the caramel sauce and 3 tablespoons of flour into a small bowl. Once combined, pour the mixture over the chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Finally, crumble the remaining batter from step 3 over the top of the caramel.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips & Notes
- We also tested this recipe with sunflower seeds and it is great.
- We used Ghiradelli caramel sauce, but any caramel sauce will do.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
Looks great. Other alternatives to walnuts? My son has many allergies. Thanks