Salted Caramel Pecan Bars — These bars are packed with chocolate, oats, candied pecans, and are dripping with salted caramel! Beyond-words amazing and an absolute must-make!!
Easy Carmelita Pecan Bars
I took one of the top five recipes in the history of my blog, my recipe for Carmelitas, and dare I say I made it even better?Salted caramel and candied pecans make everything better.
If you’ve never tried carmelitas before, they’re one of the most heavenly, decadent desserts that will ever pass your lips. Make these now, not in January when it’s resolution time.
Biting through the layers of the chewy oatmeal crust, the chocolate chips, the crunchy pecans, the salty-and-sweet caramel sauce that’s gooey and wonderful, and the crisp topping is pure heaven.
What’s in the Caramel Pecan Bars?
I made these pecan bars without corn syrup, because you don’t need any to hold these bars together! Here’s what you’ll need to make the salted caramel pecan bars:
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Old-fashioned oats
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Salted caramel sauce
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Candied pecan halves
How to Make Caramel Pecan Bars
It’s an easy, one bowl, no mixer recipe that starts with a buttery, brown sugar, and oatmeal crust. The crust also doubles as the crumbly topping which is a nice time saver.
Bake the crust briefly, then top it with chocolate chips, candied pecans, and salted caramel before sprinkling on the oatmeal crumbles.
I used Fisher Pecan Halves and candied them using this recipe. Fisher Nuts is the only national brand of recipe nuts entirely without preservatives, making them an excellent choice for your holiday baking.
After you’ve baked the salted caramel pecan bars, you’ll need to let them cool completely before slicing and serving. This gives the molten caramel time to set up.
Can I Make These Bars in Advance?
Yes! I actually think this dessert is best made the night before and served the next day. The bars need time to set up properly!
Can I Use Instant Oats?
No, instant oats are more finely ground than old-fashioned oats and will result in drier bars that aren’t nearly as chewy.
Tips for Making Caramel Pecan Bars
In my original recipe for Carmelitas, I melted caramels with heavy cream for the caramel sauce, but here I used store-bought salted caramel sauce (I love the one from Trader Joe’s!). I have an excellent homemade recipe for Salted Caramel Sauce if you want to make your own.
Don’t use thin ice cream sundae caramel topping, though. It’s too runny and the bars won’t set up.
If desired, you can double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. The bake time should remain roughly the same.
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Salted Caramel Candied Pecan Carmelitas
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks; I use unsalted butter but salted may be used)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned whole-rolled oats, not instant or quick cook
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 10 ounces salted caramel sauce (I used a thick storebought sauce or recommend this homemade sauce
- 1 cup 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup candied pecan halves (use this recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Lining your pan is highly recommended for ease of cleanup due to the stickiness of the caramel; set pan aside.
- To a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 90 to 120 seconds.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and stir until combined.
- Turn half of the mixture out into the prepared pan (just eyeball it), and smooth it with spatula to create an even, smooth, flat crust layer; set remainder aside. Bake crust for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips, pecans, and evenly pour the caramel sauce over the top. The sauce I used is very thick but with patience it can be spread with a spatula to completely cover pan.
- Evenly crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture over the top like small pebbles, approximately 1/4-inch in diameter.
- Return pan to oven and bake for about 15 to 16 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and center is set.
- Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving, giving the molten caramel time to firm up. This can take up to 3 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. You can speed it up by placing pan in fridge with a sheet of foil over the top to prevent fridge smells. If you don’t wait for bars to cool completely, they’ll be very messy and hard to slice neatly.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Caramel Desserts:
Carmelitas — For the serious caramel lover, these soft and chewy bars are dripping with caramel and stuffed with chocolate!
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars — You’ll never want plain pecan pie again! Caramel and chocolate makes the bars taste amazing!
Salted Caramel Maple Pecan Pie Bars — All the flavor of pecan pie minus the work – so easy! Salted caramel makes everything better…mmm!
Salted Caramel Buttery Crumb Bars — Easy, soft, buttery bars that just melt in your mouth! The salted caramel makes them so irresistible!
Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars — Made with salted caramel PB (yes it’s a thing!) Soft, chewy, gooey and so irresistible!
Caramel Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Gooey Bars — Keep the napkins handy for these soft, gooey bars dripping with the best caramel-peanut butter sauce! So good!
Peanut Butter Caramel Twix Bars (almost no-bake) – DIY Twix Bars with a layer of peanut butter, and just dripping with salted caramel!
The 25 Best Caramel and Salted Caramel Recipes – The tried-and-true favorites are all here! If you need a caramel recipe, this collection has you covered!
Post is brought to you by Fisher Nuts. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #fisherunshelled
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fisher. The opinions and text are all mine.
Thanks, Averie! I picked up the TJ’s salted caramel and these were SO yummy! Another hit!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
TJ’s salted caramel is such a lifesaver, too! (Provided you don’t just go to town with a spoon with it..ha!)
If you ask me, anything salted caramel tastes good! Also, candied pecans? Count me in. In the Netherlands we have a brand of ice cream with caramel and candied pecans (Excellent Nut Explosion). It’s my favorite ♥ That being said, your bars look delicious. Who can resist oozing caramel sauce? I can’t.
Hi Averie-I’m so making these for Thanksgiving! I may have missed it but did you say what your fave store bought salted caramel sauce is?
I use Trader Joe’s brand, the exact name is like Fleur de Sel or something like that, but they only have 1 and it’s in a small, round glass jar. Otherwise I’d go with a more ‘gourmet’ style from the grocery store; just not thin ice cream sundae topping in a squirt bottle.
I love caramelitas, and yes, I think you did make them better!! Candied pecans? YES PLEASE :)
Your pecan cheesecake bars and my carmelitas should get married :)
I am so in LOVE with caramel and for me it has to be home made!!
OMG…. licking my computer screen ;)
These look incredible! I’ll definitely be trying them out asap.
Paige
https://thehappyflammily.com
Braved 12 inches of snow to get the pecans and caramel for this (ok, and Thanksgiving is Thursday so very little choice)! It will be my b-day dessert today tho’! Thanks for sharing, as always!
Thanks for braving all that snow! Let me know how you like them after you make them!
I’m just loving the look of the caramel oozing out of these bars.
They’re making me hungry ;)
You are a bar stacking pro!! Why have I never made carmelitas?? They must happen soon!
They are seriously one of THE most decadent desserts you will ever make…but oh so totally worth it :)
Gosh, you’re right – salted caramel and pecans do make everything better. These look out of this world!
My son is in love with all things caramel right now. Maybe this will be his Christmas gift. ;)
Definitely a great gift :)
Salted pecans and caramel are the dynamic duo! This is totally worth doing that 80’s Billy Blanks Tae Bo Workout today for. Even if I have to see Billy in “that” outfit. You know the one, the tight fitting one that doesn’t leave enough to the imagination. Anyhow, your presentation is marvelous. Loving them all stacked up! Yum. You definitely bring on the gooey yum.
I know the exact outfit…ha! And yes, these are worth the Billy!
Yep. You’ve topped yourself. It must be so cool to take something that is incredible and just make it even better. Plus you get to eat it, which is the ultimate reward. Two bar cookie recipes from you this week make me a very happy camper!
Tis the season for holiday baking, right! I know, two bars in one week and coming up it will be cookies!
I didn’t think carmelitas could get any better but you’ve done it! Candied pecans and salted caramel sound fabulous in an already fabulous bar. Wow!!!
Paula they were soooo good! If you need a dessert to share or bring to an event, these were total winners!
Buttery cookie, melty chocolate, oozing caramel, AND crunchy sweet pecans! What more could you ask of a Friday? So much yumness!