Q1: Why did my bars fall apart when I cut them?

The most common culprit is that you cut them while they were still warm. The hot, molten caramel and melted butter need time to cool and to set up completely. Letting the pan cool to room temperature (or even chilling it in the fridge!) is the non-negotiable secret to beautiful, clean slices.

Q2: Why do I add flour to the caramel?

This is the brilliant, "old-fashioned" secret that stabilizes the liquid caramel topping. The flour acts as a thickener, which is the key that ensures your caramel sets up into a perfect, "sliceable," gooey layer, rather than just soaking into the crust or running out when you cut it.

Q3: Can I use a different kind of chocolate?

Yes, absolutely! This recipe is fantastic with milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, or even a mix!

Q4: Can I use rolled oats?

Yes, the rolled oats (or old-fashioned oats) are the key to the classic, chewy, and rustic texture.

Q5: Can I make these nut-free?

Yes! This recipe is naturally nut-free. If you would like to add nuts, about 1 cup of chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts would be a fantastic addition to the crumb mixture.

Chewy Caramel-Oatmeal Bars (An Easy & Decadent Treat!)

A decadent, multi-layered bar cookie recipe, often known as ‘Caramelitas.’ This dessert features a crumbly oatmeal and brown sugar shortbread that serves as both the crust and the topping. The base is par-baked, then layered with semisweet chocolate chips and a rich caramel filling (made from ice cream topping thickened with flour), and finally topped with the remaining crumb mixture before being baked to golden perfection.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of flour, the oats, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda.
Mix in the melted butter until the mixture is evenly distributed and crumbly.
Press half of this crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot crust. Let it stand for a few minutes for the chips to soften.
In a small bowl, mix the caramel topping with the 6 tablespoons of flour. Drizzle this mixture evenly over the chocolate chips.
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the caramel layer and press down lightly.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

Notes

This is a classic, rich bar cookie, sometimes known as a ‘Caramelita.’
The base is par-baked before the toppings are added to ensure it is not raw or soggy.
It is essential to let the bars cool completely before cutting them, otherwise the caramel and chocolate layers will be too soft and messy to cut cleanly.
Thickening the caramel topping with flour helps it to set up properly in the finished bar.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/chewy-caramel-oatmeal-bars/