About 2 years ago, I purchased a recipe book called "Cornerstone Cooks in Casper". It's a compilation of tried and true recipes that my cousin's church put together and I have to say they have some GREAT cooks in their church! The first recipe that my cousin said I HAD to try was for Caramel Dream Bars. I decided to make them for a party the first time and they were a HUGE hit! Since then, I've made them on numerous occasions and am always asked for the recipe.
So, if you want a delectable, chewy, caramel, chocolate treat with a little bit of crunch, these bars are meant for you!
Caramel Dream Bars
Ingredients:
64 caramels, unwrapped**
1/2 c. plus 2 T. heavy whipping cream
2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (Walnuts are my favorite in this recipe)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave caramels and cream until melted, stirring after each minute. Set aside to cool slightly. In the mean time, mix the next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Press half of the oat mixture onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan***. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips and walnuts (or pecans) over the crust. Then pour the caramel mixture over the top. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture, pressing down slightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.
**To save time, I use the caramel bits instead of the individually wrapped caramels. The bits come in 11 oz. bags and you'll need 2 1/2 bags.
***Save time cleaning up by lining your pan with parchment lined foil. This will allow you to lift the bars right out of the pan without any sticky mess!
So, if you want a delectable, chewy, caramel, chocolate treat with a little bit of crunch, these bars are meant for you!
Caramel Dream Bars
Ingredients:
64 caramels, unwrapped**
1/2 c. plus 2 T. heavy whipping cream
2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (Walnuts are my favorite in this recipe)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave caramels and cream until melted, stirring after each minute. Set aside to cool slightly. In the mean time, mix the next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Press half of the oat mixture onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan***. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips and walnuts (or pecans) over the crust. Then pour the caramel mixture over the top. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture, pressing down slightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.
**To save time, I use the caramel bits instead of the individually wrapped caramels. The bits come in 11 oz. bags and you'll need 2 1/2 bags.
***Save time cleaning up by lining your pan with parchment lined foil. This will allow you to lift the bars right out of the pan without any sticky mess!