This is a pretty magical mess of gooey caramel and oats. I made it Friday, finished off the single remaining piece Saturday, and kind of want to make more today (I’m typing this Sunday).

This may not look fancy, but it’ll win you over with the first bite!

Ingredients:

• 32 caramel squares, unwrapped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8X8″ pan. You really want to focus on the walls of the pan, rather than the bottom, as that’s what the caramel can reach.

Combine the cream and caramels in a saucepan over low heat. Man do I hate unwrapping individually wrapped candy! Cook, stirring frequently, until completely smooth. It will look exactly like this for ages:

You’ll turn around for one second, then OH GOD IT’S BUBBLING, DON’T LET IT BE BURNT!!

(It was fine.)

Set the caramel aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda.

Press half of the oat mixture into your greased pan.

Bake 10 minutes. There was chicken in the oven at 400, so I cooked this in the toaster oven, so it came out a bit browner than yours might, even at only 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the cooked crust, then pour the caramel over them.

Drop the rest of the oat mixture over the caramel in little crumbly bits.

Bake another 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned. I think I only baked another 6 minutes or something in the toaster oven, and it was DONE, but (happily) not burnt.

Let cool completely before cutting. (Haha yeah right, like that’s going to happen!)

If we’ve learned anything today, it’s that melty caramel is DELIGHTFUL. If we’ve learned anything else, it’s maybe that not only do you cook things for a shorter time in the toaster oven, but maybe you should also turn down the temp a bit? Whatever! Make this, and enjoy it, it will be a good day!

Carmelitas

From Lovin’ From the Oven.

• 32 caramel squares, unwrapped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8X8″ pan and set aside.

Combine the cream and caramels in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth, then set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Press half of the oat mixture into your greased pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the cooked crust, then pour the caramel over them. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the caramel. Bake another 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned, and let cool completely before cutting.