Carmelitas are the Ultimate Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars. This bar is baked with oatmeal, chocolate and caramel to make the most delicious treat bar you will ever make. Carmelitas are my all time favorite!

During the holidays when everyone is baking their holiday cookies and exchanging cookies with friends and families, I am usually the one who is stammering away . . . um . . . I don't bake . . . apologies, but . . .  um . . . thanks for the cookies! I can bake . . . but I don't enjoy baking.

Unless, it is something I love . . . something that doesn't resemble a holiday cookie . . . which I don't like to eat, because I have yet to find a holiday cookie that tastes good to me. I know, scandalous.

I'm the type of gal who loves chocolate, but it has to be good chocolate . . . I'm a gal who loves brownie, but it has to be the best, over-the-top brownie, no ordinary brownie will do for me. I love a good oatmeal bar as well . . . but it has to be the gooiest oatmeal bar on the planet Earth. And I just happen to have the best, the gooiest, the most delicious cookie bar you will ever eat in your life . . . and I am not kidding.

Introducing Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Bars AKA Carmelitas . . .

Ingredients

• 32 caramel squares, unwrapped

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ¾ cup butter, melted

• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed

• 1 cup flour

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

• 6 ounces dark chocolate morsels

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line your baking dish with parchment paper for easier removal. The caramel can get sticky.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar. Add flour, oats, and baking soda. Mix until combined.

3. Divide the cookie mixture in half and pat half of the mix into the bottom of your lined baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and remove.

4. While baking, combine the caramels and heavy cream and stir until completely smooth. Can also be melted in the microwave, just stir after every 30 seconds being careful not to let it burn.

5. Sprinkle the two different chocolate chips over the parting baked crust. Pour caramel mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble remaining oatmeal dough on top.

6. Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. This is important as you do not want a smoochy bar, but one that you can take a big bite out of. You can flash freeze if you like. *The caramel does take a bit of time to cool.

Now, here is the ooey gooey goodness again . . . and did I not tell you it would be the best, the gooiest, the most delicious cookie bar you will ever eat in your life? They are . . . I ate like five of them once they were cool . . . and then I was in a caramel coma, but oh, so satisfied!

This is the type of cookie I would happily bake and exchange with anyone! now, go out, buy all these ingredients, and bake these up yourselves and let me know what you think.