If you only make one treat during the holiday season, LET THESE BE IT! These oatmeal caramel bars boast a buttery bar packed with chocolate chips, caramel and pecans.
The Story:
Gooey caramel, chocolate and pecans all tucked into a buttery, crumbly oat dessert bar. These beloved “Fat Bars” as my momma calls them, have been a holiday tradition for as long as I can remember. It isn’t Christmas without these insanely delicious, beautiful bars. I am warning you, they are addictive and habit forming, and anyone you make them for will require them for every subsequent Christmas. They come together easily, make a bold statement and are the perfect treat to hand out this holiday season!
Jump to:
🧾 The Ingredients:
Here is the list of ingredients you will need to make these oatmeal caramel bars.
- Almond Flour: This grain free flour gives these bars ideal structure while maintaining a nice, chewy texture.
- Tapioca Flour: This grain free flour gives the bars a tender and fluffy crumb and helps balance out the liquid in the recipe.
- Gluten Free Oats: A star ingredient! Oats give these bars a perfect crumb and hearty texture.
- Pecans: Ya’ll know I love my pecans and there is no exception here! The pecans add such a great crunch and flavor.
- Caramel: You can make your own dairy free caramel, or purchase it if it is available in your supermarkets. You can use my recipe for dairy free caramel sauce which works perfectly.
- Brown Sugar: Rich brown sugar adds the perfect sweetness and moisture.
- Dairy Free Butter: I used Earth Balance butter for these and it worked perfectly.
- Egg: Adds structure and rise and helps the bars hold together.
- Salt: A good pinch of salt balances out the sweet layers.
- Baking Soda: This rising agent helps the bars rise and fill out.
- Xanthan Gum: This serves as a binder, helping the bars hold together so they aren’t too crumbly.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: A chopped up baking bar or chocolate chips work perfectly. I love using Bakers semi-sweet baking bar.
Step By Step Preparation Instructions:
- Step 1: Prepare your caramel sauce and set it aside.
- Step 2: If needed, chop up your chocolate into small chunks and coarsely chop up your pecans.
- Step 3: Now for the crumbly crust and topping: Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together the dry ingredients and oats (not including the pecans). Add in the butter and using a fork or pastry blender, work it into the dry ingredients until it has created a crumbly mixture. Add in the egg and work it in until you have crumbly chunks that are starting to hold together. Press ½ of this mixture into the bottom of a well greased 8X11 pan. You want to gently press the mixture into the bottom to create a crust. Bake for 10 min.
- Step 4: While the crust is still warm, sprinkle the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips evenly over the crust. Then, add the chopped pecans evenly over the chocolate. Next, drizzle the caramel sauce over the pecans as evenly as possible. This will all melt together beautifully so it does not have to be perfect! Loosely crumble on the remaining crust mixture evenly over the bars as topping, and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. The crumb topping should be lightly golden brown.
- Step 5: Allow to cool, then cut into bars and try not to eat the whole pan in one setting. You’ll want one left over in the morning to go along with your coffee!
📖 The Recipe:
Oatmeal Caramel Bars
If you only make one treat during the holiday season, LET THESE BE IT! Gooey caramel, chocolate and pecans all tucked into a buttery, crumbly oat dessert bar. These oatmeal caramel bars come together easily and make a bold statement and are the perfect treat to hand out this holiday season! Fair warning though: these are addictive and habit forming!
Ingredients
- 170 grams almond flour
- 90 grams tapioca flour
- 180 grams gluten free quick oats
- 200 grams brown sugar
- 200 grams dairy free butter
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 90 grams chopped pecans
- 4 oz dairy free chocolate or chocolate chips
- 200 grams dairy free caramel sauce
Instructions
- Prepare your caramel sauce and set it aside. If needed, chop up your chocolate into small chunks and coarsely chop up your pecans.
- Now for the crumbly crust and topping: Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together the dry ingredients and oats (not including the pecans).
- Add in the butter and using a fork or pastry blender, work it into the dry ingredients until it has created a crumbly mixture.
- Add in the egg and work it in until you have crumbly chunks that are starting to hold together.
- Press ½ of the mixture into the bottom of a greased 8X11 pan. You want to gently press the mixture into the bottom to create a crust. Bake for 10-12 min.
- While the crust is still warm, sprinkle the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips evenly over the crust.
- Then, sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the chocolate.
- Next, drizzle the caramel sauce over the pecans as evenly as possible. This will all melt together beautifully so it does not have to be perfect!
- Loosely crumble on the remaining crust mixture evenly over the bars as topping, and place in the oven to bake for 20-22 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- Allow to cool, then cut into bars and try not to eat the whole pan in one setting. You’ll want one left over in the morning to go along with your coffee!
- Store these in the refrigerator and warm slightly before enjoying.
The Finished Product:
Indulgently gooey, rich and addictive. The layers of flavors will have you coming back for more. I promise, you will become obsessed with these oatmeal caramel bars. If you make them this holiday season, I’d love to know!
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