Marshmallows and caramel are two of my favorite ingredients. And Oreos aren’t too shabby either.
Plus, I have a thing for s’mores and five ingredient recipes.
I was having a craving for something with an Oreo crust, and although I could have made a pie, these bars seemed more fun. They’re what I envision S’mores Bars that took a bath in caramel and that are made with an Oreo-crust rather then a graham cracker crust would taste like. Only five ingredients are used and they’re ready in thirty minutes. My kind of recipe.
I combined 32 ground chocolate sandwich cookies with melted butter. I used 32 because that’s what remained in the package after certain family members discovered my baking stash in the cupboard. I’m sure using 28 or 37 cookies would be just fine if that’s what you have.
I used generic storebrand chocolate sandwich cookies rather than real Oreos because Oreos are ten dollars per package here in Aruba, and the storebrand was two bucks. I’ll roll over in my grave before I pay ten bucks for Oreos that I’m going to pulverize anyway.
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, and it’s an absolute must to line the pan unless you have lots of elbow grease to spare. Then press the buttery crumbs down firmly with the back of a spatula. A little trick is to use the bottom of a flat-bottomed drinking glass for packing them, facilitating a tight pack-job that’s utterly smooth.
It’s a pet peeve of mine when cookie-crumb-crust desserts don’t hold together, disintegrating and leaving a black crumbly mess all over the floor. This crust holds together very well, thanks to a generous butter-to-crumbs ratio, and some tight packing.
Bake the crust for about ten minutes, or just until set. It’s hard to determine if it’s set or not because the black buttery cookie crumbs look like wet tar, and it’s hard to tell set from not. But ten to twelve minutes should do the trick. Plus, the pan is going back into the oven anyway.
Sprinkle marshmallows over the crust, and then sprinkle quartered caramels over the marshmallows. Make sure to do it in that order; marshmallows first, then caramels because the marshmallows will catch the melting caramels in the crevices and valleys that form as they puff while baking.
The biggest PITA of this recipe is unwrapping fifteen caramels and quartering them. You could likely use Kraft Caramel Bits instead of caramels, but they don’t sell those here. I would hesitate to use caramel sauce, as it may just turn into semi-scorched caramel soup.
Return the pan to the oven for about five to eight minutes, rotating it midway through if your oven bakes unevenly like mine does. Remove the pan from the oven when the caramels have melted and marshmallows are just barely starting to brown.
Immediately upon removing the pan from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top, lightly pressing them down. The carryover heat from the pan will melt the chocolate chips, ever-so-slightly. White chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips would also be great options.
Allow the bars to cool for at least two hours before slicing through the white and black layers. This can be expedited by placing the pan in the refrigerator. I placed mine in the refrigerator overnight because things melt in Aruba at room temperature and there would have been no chance of these gooey squares setting up otherwise.
I really enjoy contrasting flavors and textures and these bars are full of both. The chocolaty, buttery, crisp, cookie-crumb-crust contrasted with soft, fluffy, airy, white marshmallows made each bite a dichotomy. The sprinkled chocolate chips add a pop of texture, and of boost the chocolate intensity.
The puddles of sweet, melted caramel that pool in between the puffed marshmallows reminded me that I need to bake with my favorite ingredients more often.
Sticky, sweet, chewy, and gooey. Just the way I like it.
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Marshmallow Caramel Oreo Cookie S'Mores Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (3/4 of one stick)
- 32 Oreo Cookies or chocolate sandwich cookies, ground
- For the Topping
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 15 caramels, unwrapped and quartered (total of 60 small pieces)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang (you must line your pan), spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- For the Crust - In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter on high power, about 1 minute; set aside. Add the ground cookies and stir to combine (grind cookies with a food processor or place them in a sealed plastic ziplock bag and gently mash the outside of the bag with a drinking glass or roll over the bag with a rolling pin). Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan and pack it down firmly with a spatula or the bottom of a flat-bottomed drinking glass. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or just until set; don't worry if it's a bit under-baked as pan will be going back into the oven in the next step.
- For the Topping - Evenly sprinkle the marshmallows over the crust. Evenly sprinkle the caramels, making sure to do it in that order. Bake for about 5 to 8 minutes or until marshmallows and caramel have begun to melt and remove pan before marshmallows start browning or developing color. Immediately upon removing pan from oven, evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips, pressing them down very lightly with a spatula if desired. The carryover heat will melt the chocolate just slightly and embed them into the melted marshmallows and caramel. Allow bars to set up for at least 2 hours before slicing; pan can be placed in the refrigerator to expedite.
- Slice bars by lifting them out using the foil overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Recipe may be kept vegan by replacing the butter with margarine or Earth Balance and by using vegan marshmallows and caramels. Oreos are Accidentally Vegan. Recipe may be kept gluten-free by using a gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookie. Take care all ingredients used are suitable for your dietary needs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Do you have a favorite marshmallow, caramel, s’mores or Oreo recipe?
Ok, yum! I love anything with chocolate, marshmallows and carmel as well. When I make s’mores I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate and carmel squares instead of Hershey chocolate. That extra punch of carmel makes a plain old s’more into a world class s’more. You seem to have a better experience baking with marshmallows than I do. Last time I baked with marshmallows, they got all over the oven and fell apart on my cupcakes. It was a hug mess. Maybe you have better marshmallow karma than me :)
Marshmallow cupcakes are HARD! The cupcake cooks before the marshmallows do or vice versa, they never want to cook at the same rate – I’ve learned my lesson with those and now only do a light ‘melt and toasting’ of marshmallows in recipes when I bake with them, ie. these too are just lightly toasted
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/01/peanut-butter-cocoa-krispies-smores-bars.html
I had picked up a bag of Dandies on my last trip to Wegmans, with no plan in mind for them, simply because they were on the shelf and I felt like I may need them at some point. Well, now I know why I bought them, for this recipe! Oh yummy yum yum. Now I need to find vegan caramels….
You can google for a recipe and I’m sure there’s a possibility to use an alternative milk in say this recipe, I haven’t tried it. Good luck in your cooking adventure!
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/06/dark-rum-caramel-sauce.html
Such a tempting sweet treat Averie!!
How do you get those to cut so cleanly?! I love the one with the gooey caramel oozing out in strings, it has me salivating. Im guessing those caramel bits wouldn’t do that though.
You should call these “S’moreo Bars”. Hehe
Love your title :)
And clean cuts = chilling them and then being ultra-precise. I got a bit lucky with these but my karma changed with some other bars I made over the weekend. Messy city! lol
These look so, so, fabulous!
One of my favorite Oreo recipes is the no bake truffle https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-Oreo-truffles/. The most time consuming part is dipping each one in chocolate. Wanted to let you know we loved the cranberry bliss bars! The little tart pan worked perfectly and was just the right size. Oreo crusts are the best–especially when topped with caramel and marshmallows! This sounds like a great recipe to enter in a contest–good luck!!
Glad you loved the Bliss Bars – made in your toaster oven and all. Amazing!
I love Oreo truffles too and you’re right the most time consuming part is dipping them!
Made years ago over Xmas in Aruba – time flies (and photography improves – LOL)
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/12/chocolate-covered-oreo-balls.html
Umm, delicious?? All my favorites in one place :)
Thanks for entering! Love these!!
I wanted to make something that was simple with the ingredients (just five) and could be ready in less than a half hour, and that I think most people will enjoy and have success with making – per you and Kristan’s contest rules. So we shall see :) Thanks for hosting!
my stomach is now growling! GReat to hear from you this weekend xoxoxoo
You too and I’ve been reading all along – just have been blocked the last 3-4 weeks or so!
so. GOOD! I lovelovelove anything s’mores and ummm yeah these have an Oreo crust? gahhhhhh so delicious!
Well goodness, just reading the NAME of these makes my tummy grumble! These sound and look deeeeelicious.
P.S. Can’t believe Oreos are $10 there!!
Some things are ungodly expensive, i.e. laundry detergent is TWICE the normal price, i.e. Tide, Gain, Arm & Hammer – but like toothpaste is cheap. There’s no rhyme or reason!
The oreo makes them better than smores bars! What a fun mix up!!
I completely adore your rice krispie peanut butter s’mores bars and have been eyeing them ever since you posted them last January. Likewise. your caramel + chocolate gooey bars look just as divine. Leave it to you to combine forces, adding a thick, tightly packed Oreo crust. That’s the thickest Oreo crust I’ve ever seen. and this is why I <3 you. :)
All that gooey marshmallow, mouthwatering marshmallow stretchy strings, and oh dear god… those caramels. I know what you mean about how ANNOYING unwrapping each of them can be. Talk about a tedious little job. But hey… it's so worth it right? Love the small batch size here and all of the contrasting flavors. I love sticky gooey treats like this soooo much – and I don't think I'm alone here. Bring on the napkins, pleeeeease.
I hate the task of unwrapping them! I wish there was a vendor who sold a caramel log/brick, sort of like a bar of baking chocolate, that I could just slice off from it. I think I need to start that business :)
I remember seeing your recent bark with the Oreo crust and had a feeling when I posted these, you’d notice it. Love a thick crust that doesn’t fall apart. With a child, there is no way I want a loose crumbly crust!
S’mores is an awesome combo: chocolate, graham and marshmallow! Yum! And, lol, I had to stop and really think for a minute–trying to figure out “PITA” in your post. Ha! :)
Oh you’ve never heard that one? Well, now you know :)
My favorite Oreo recipe is Oreos with a side of Oreos, and a cup if iced coffee to do them in. And sometimes peanut butter to spread on them…
I loved dunking them in milk as a kid – coffee sounds way better!
The crust by itself with a spoon would make me happy, but I’m pretty sure I’d love the other layers too. I mean, what’s NOT to love? Yum!!
The crust itself Jenn was soooo buttery and rich and as you said, could have eaten just that. Note to self, Oreos with melted butter will cure a bad day immediately :)