Cookie bars are a great way to share something special with friends and family. My aunt's recipe for carmalettes brings together golden butterscotch oatmeal layers with rich caramel and chocolate goodness in the middle. They are a Christmas must have for my aunt and cousins but are really perfect all year long.
One of the best parts about bars like these are they are relatively quick to make. You don't have to worry about loading tray after tray of individual cookies into the oven.
Instead you get to just press the dough into a pan and build up the layers. It's less monotony.
As you build up the layers of goodness, you know you are making something delicious. Not to mention the smell when you take them out of the oven... so good!
To make cutting the bars easier, you'll want to line your pan. You can use parchment or aluminum foil.
Once your bars are completely cooled, you can lift the whole batch out of the pan. Then you can cut straight across the entire length without hitting the sides of the pan.
You can cut them into quite a few smaller squares. They are rich, so you don't need a huge slice.
Besides, you can always get a second one if you are super hungry. You know I won't judge!
Marlene suggests you store carmalettes in the refrigerator. Then she says to warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave before you eat them.
I must say the warm slightly melted chocolate chips and caramel center are amazing. So I totally agree with her recommendation!
These are perfect for holiday trays for sure. They would also be amazing for summer potlucks and bbqs.
There really isn't a time they wouldn't be good! If caramel, chocolate and sweet goodness are your thing, these are for you!
If you like Marlene's treats, you are going to love her sour cream cookies. Her fudge frosting is also amazing on brownies or served warm as hot fudge over ice cream.
Yield: 36 servings
Marlene's Carmalettes
Layers of buttery oatmeal cookie sandwich a layer of caramel and chocolate chips. These bars are a must have for the holidays or any time your sweet tooth begs for something special.
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 45 M
ingredients:
- 64 caramels
- 10 Tablespoons evaporated milk
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups instant oatmeal
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups melted butter
- 1 cup chopped pecans
instructions:
How to cook Marlene's Carmalettes
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Melt caramels in evaporated milk. Cool slightly.
- In large bowl combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and melted butter.
- Press half of the crumb mixture into a 9x13" pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans over baked crust. Spread caramel mixture over them carefully. Sprinkle with the other half of the crumbs.
- Bake 20 additional minutes.
- Chill one hour before cutting into bars.
Calories
277.74
277.74
Fat (grams)
14.89
14.89
Sat. Fat (grams)
7.47
7.47
Carbs (grams)
36.02
36.02
Fiber (grams)
1.40
1.40
Net carbs
34.62
34.62
Sugar (grams)
25.09
25.09
Protein (grams)
3.10
3.10
Sodium (milligrams)
187.12
187.12
Cholesterol (grams)
22.86
22.86
Copyright: Cooking With Carlee 2020
Shared at the Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday
These would be a perfect after school snack.
ReplyDeleteThey would be for sure!
DeleteCarmelita‘s are my all-time favorite bar, I have made many versions, and I think I’ve shared three of them on the blog, they melt in your mouth and I really want to try this recipe ASAP! Happy weekend girlfriend!
ReplyDeleteAren't they so good? Thanks, Andrea!
DeleteCookie bars are such a time saver when baking. And that layer of caramel in the middle sounds fabulous.
ReplyDeleteSo... when I make these, do I have to share?? These sound soo good!
ReplyDelete