• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Contact
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS

Valerie's Kitchen

Simple, seasonal home cooking

  • Recipe Box
  • Videos
  • The Cookbook
  • Beyond the Kitchen
Home » Dessert » Bars and Brownies » Caramel Oat Bars

Caramel Oat Bars

By Valerie · October 2, 2011 · Updated May 4, 2020 7 Comments

S Dessert H Holidays
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

 

Caramel Oat Bars sliced on a cutting board.

These scrumptious, gooey, chocolaty morsels of goodness are known around these parts as “Care Package Bars”. Let me back up a bit and explain.

A picture of Valerie's son, Ryan - a handsome young man with brown hair and a plaid shirt.Here is Boy #1. When he left for college I was all in a dither. How could this be happening? Who ever thought this was a good idea? I mean, you put your whole heart and soul into this thing and then they just up and leave after eighteen years? Okay, a bit dramatic, but you get the gist of it. So off he went to beautiful Orange County in Southern California to attend UC Irvine and live down the street from the beach, and, oh yes, to work hard and study. Life is hard for young people today.

I immediately started planning for his first trip home. I believe I actually booked his flight home for Thanksgiving the week he left. Hey, it made me feel better. So did sending him care packages.

These Caramel Oat Bars were always one of his favorites and after packaging them up and sending them to him, I came to discover they are the perfect baked goodies to send in a care package. They are super moist and gooey coming out of the oven so if you wrap them well in foil and package them in a plastic container to protect them from damage, they will be perfect and fresh upon arrival.

Flash forward to today. Boy #1 has graduated. Now Boy #3, who attends college locally, comes to me and says he wants to send a care package to his girlfriend who has recently left for her first year of college. Boy #3 knows his way around a kitchen and wanted to bake something to include in the package (I know, right? Nice guy). Caramel Oat Bars are the perfect solution.

Valerie's son, Connor, unwrapping caramels at the kitchen counter. Connor is wearing a white tshirt and black baseball cap.Caramel Oat Bars

Here he is unwrapping the caramels (please ignore my slightly disheveled pantry in the background – who left that door open anyway?)

Making Caramel Oat Bars. Heavy cream and caramels are added to a saucepan.

Melting the caramels together with the cream.

Making Caramel Oat Bars - Connor is drizzling the gooey caramel over the bars.

Pouring on the ooey gooey caramel.

A close up image of Caramel Oat Bars in a glass baking dish.

Fresh out of the oven.

Well, someone’s got to make sure they turned out good.

Valerie's son, Connor, eating one of the Caramel Oat Bars.

A caramel oat bar being lifted by a spatula.

A piece of cake on a plate, with Caramel and Oat

Caramel Oat Bars

0 from 0 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24 squares
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

  • 32 individually wrapped caramels unwrapped
  • 5 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter melted
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together the caramels and heavy cream, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted butter until well blended. Measure out 1-1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside for later. Press the remainder of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9x13 inch baking pan.
  • Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the caramel mixture over the top and then crumble the reserved crust mixture over the top.
  • Return to the oven and bake for an additional 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.
LOVE MY RECIPES? GET THE COOKBOOK!
The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker and Other One-Pot Solutions

Categories: Bars and Brownies, Dessert, Holidays, Recipe, Valentine's Day

< Previous
Next >

You May Also Like...

A plate of granola bars. Cherry Dark Chocolate Granola Bars
Mom's Lemon Bars Mom’s Lemon Bars
Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars
A spatula lifts a brownie topped with potato chips from a baking dish. Potato Chip Brownies

Reader Interactions

Latest Comments
Skip to Comment Form
  1. Stephanie says

    October 5, 2013 at 5:30 pm

    I’m in love with your recipes ! But with this one i have a huge problem, i’m allergic to peanuts and nuts, do you know if i can replace it with something else ? Or i just ignore the walnuts ? Thanks

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 5, 2013 at 6:22 pm

      You could just leave them out but then, again, I can think of some wonderful possibilities for substitutes depending on your taste. Coconut would be really good, you could add dark chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. Good luck Stephanie 🙂

      Reply
  2. Debbie boss says

    December 1, 2012 at 4:08 pm

    thanks. So much

    Reply
  3. HungryLittleGirl says

    December 1, 2012 at 10:29 am

    Valerie, I am so happy I found your page!
    Those Bars look unbelievably delicious – perfect for an oatmeal addict like me!
    I will for sure bake them as soon as possible!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      December 1, 2012 at 6:00 pm

      I’m happy you found me too 🙂 Welcome and I hope you enjoy the bars!

      Reply
  4. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    October 4, 2011 at 1:35 am

    Hi Valerie! This is my first time here and I spent some time browsing and enjoying looking at your recipes. You have 4 boys! You have such a beautiful family and you have lots of great recipes. Thanks for sharing these bars – look so delicious!!!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 4, 2011 at 8:13 am

      Thank you so much Nami! I’m completely in love with your gorgeous blog and just took a look at the changes you did to your recipe index. I’m envious that you have a husband who can write code!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Stay Connected with Valerie’s Kitchen

Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS

Stay updated!

Subscribe by Email

Get the latest straight from my kitchen to your email inbox. You can choose to receive an email every time a new recipe is published or a weekly summary.

Click to Subscribe

Primary Sidebar

Browse the Recipes

by Category
CP Slow Cooker OP One Pot 30 30 Minute Meals SD Side Dish S Dessert H Holidays A Appetizers MD Main Dish
Valerie Brunmeier, founder and author of Valerie's Kitchen

MeetValerie Brunmeier

Hello and welcome to my online kitchen! My focus here is to provide simple, seasonal meal solutions for busy households. I hope you find some inspiration while you’re here and visit again soon!

...
More About Me

Looking for something?

Archives

Categories

Soups and Stews

A ladle scoops up beef stew from a pot.
Broccoli Cheese Soup in a round bread bowl topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
A close up, over the top image of Hamburger Stew in a Dutch oven.
A ladle scoops some beef stew from an Instant Pot.
A mug filled with ham and bean soup.

Holiday Favorites

A bowl of fruit salad with whipped cream.
Slices of ham and a small bowl of pineapple sauce on a white platter.
A tray of cheese, meats, nuts, and bacon jam in a small glass container.
Mashed potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter and chives
A sliced bundt cake on a cake plate.
A white bowl filed with crab dip with a spoon.

Reader Favorites

A white serving dish filled with shredded beef, carrots, and potatoes.
A white bowl filed with crab dip with a spoon.
A spatula scoops up a zucchini boat from a casserole dish.
Blackened Mahi Mahi
A close up of a cheesesteak sandwich with peppers and onions.
Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravey
As Featured On
Back to Top
  • Home
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Collaborate
  • Contact
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
BlogLovin'
RSS
Valerie's Kitchen
Copyright © 2011–2021 · Valerie's Kitchen

Valerie's Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.