Whole Grain Oatmeal Caramel Bars

If you’re looking for an easy, hearty snack to satisfy your sweet tooth while providing a bit of nutritional value, these Oatmeal Caramel Bars will do the trick. They are quick to whip up, they taste amazing, they are freezer-friendly, and they hold up great for lunches or snacks on the go!

Many years ago (I think it was before kids), I was looking for a way to use up caramel candies that had been sitting in our baking cabinet for longer than they should have.

I found a few different recipes, combined bits and pieces of them, and have continued to tweak the recipe as the years went on (and as I started baking with mostly freshly milled flour).

This recipe for Oatmeal Caramel Bars is the result — and yes, you can easily make it with any store-bought flour as well.

You will love these delicious bars!

These bars are very yummy, and a nice change of pace from baking with peanut butter (which is usually my go-to for cookies and bars).

They make a big batch, they freeze well, and they’re very “sturdy” — perfect for packing in school lunches or taking on a picnic.

Best of all, there are countless ways you could change up the ingredients based on what you already have in the house, what your family prefers, or what’s on sale at the store!

Ingredients for Oatmeal Caramel Bars

• 3/4 c. softened butter (1.5 sticks)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1.5 c. flour (180 grams)
• 2.5 c. quick-cooking oats
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1.5 c. “mix-ins” (chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, M&M’s, or raisins)
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
•  1.5 c. caramel bits (about 11 ounces)
• 3 Tbs. cream or milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Ingredient Variations

Butter: I love baking with butter, but you could use margarine, shortening, or even coconut oil. Remember to save your butter wrapper to grease the pan!

Brown Sugar: Again, my sugar preference for most cookies and bars is brown sugar, but white sugar works too. You could also use a more natural sweetener, or even try honey.

Flour: I use freshly ground soft white wheat for this recipe (it pairs nicely with the oats), but for years, I made this same recipe with all-purpose flour. I’ve also made it successfully with oat flour for gluten-free bars.

Oats: I prefer the smaller quick-cooking oats for baking as they hold together better and aren’t as “tough” in the finished product. That said, if you’re running low on quick oats, traditional will work just fine. You can even pulse traditional oats in a blender or food processor for a few seconds to chop them up a bit.

Salt: Here’s my mini advertisement for Redmond Real Salt. We switched about 5 years ago, and I’ll never go back to regular table salt. It’s very flavorful and mined right here in the U.S.A.

Mix-ins: Our family’s favorite is semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you have many options! Butterscotch chips are tasty, as are white chocolate chips. We’re not big raisin fans, but I’ve had others tell me the combination of raisins and caramel is amazing.

Nuts: I don’t always include nuts, but if I do, I always chop them up first (I love this little chopper). Pecans are an especially yummy combo with chocolate chips — you get that “turtle” effect!

Caramels: Back in the day, I always used Brach’s caramels and had to unwrap every individual caramel. Now, I use these little caramel bits so I don’t need to unwrap anything!

NOTE: You do not want to use caramel ice cream topping, as it will not set properly and your bars will be a mess to eat.

Cream: I always have whipping cream in the house, but any dairy or non-dairy milk or half & half will work (even powdered milk mixed with water).

How to Make Oatmeal Caramel Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish (this USA Pan is my favorite); set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until combined.

4. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt, and mix well.

5. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of your greased pan.

NOTE: The mixture will be VERY sticky — I use a butter wrapper to help press it down.

6. Sprinkle with desired mix-ins (chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, etc.)

7. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels, milk, and vanilla.

8. Microwave in 30-second intervals until caramels are melted, stirring at each interval.

9. Pour the melted caramel mixture over the oat mixture and mix-ins.

10. Use your hands to “crumble” the remaining oat mixture over the caramel.

11. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the top is brown and the center is set (it will still be jiggly until the caramel cools).

12. Let cool completely (so the caramel doesn’t ooze out) and cut into bars.

13. Store leftover bars at room temperature (refrigerating them will make the caramel too hard).

How to Freeze Oatmeal Caramel Bars

These bars freeze wonderfully, so feel free to make a big batch ahead of time and freeze them for later.

I always freeze the bars pre-cut (so I can remove just a few at a time). I suggest freezing them between layers of parchment paper and placing them in a freezer bag or food storage container.

The bars should last for several months in the freezer.