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Cookie Swap: Chocolate Caramelitas

December 12, 2011 by Lindsay 33 Comments

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When it comes to holiday cookies, it’s easy to fall into a rut and make the same ones over and over again every year. I’ve been trying to challenge myself over the past couple of years to try some new recipes and I’ve been doing a pretty good job. This year, The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap seemed like a really fun way to continue challenging myself, while also getting to try some new cookies! Plus, getting 3 packages in the mail is right up my alley since i LOVE getting mail.

I spent a lot of time looking at Christmas cookie websites trying to find a fun new recipe to try and when I came across these, I immediately fell in love.

I’m a sucker for pretty much any baked good with oats in it, and I kept finding myself being drawn to recipes with pecans…which is weird, because I never buy them. I also never buy caramels. I didn’t even know they had vanilla flavored caramels. But indeed they do.

A few notes:
-The original recipe says this makes 48 bars…but unless you’re cutting them into like microscopic 1 inch squares, it does not make that many. Mine made just over 2 dozen and then I made another 1/2 batch so that I would have enough.
-I added Christmas m&ms just because they’re super festive and I love them.
-I used skim milk. I think any kind would do.
-I ran a little low on caramels on the last batch so I melted some butterscotch chips in with the caramel and it worked really well.
-LET THESE COOL COMPLETELY before trying to remove them from the pan or they will be a hot, gooey mess.

IMG 1075

Chocolate Caramelitas

by Lindsay L

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Keywords: bake dessert oats chocolate caramel Christmas bars

Ingredients (9×13 pan)

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1  cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 c vegetable oil
  • 8 oz vanilla caramels, unwrapped
  • 3 Tbsp skim milk
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 c m&ms
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Grease foil; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, soda, and salt. Add melted butter and oil and mix until crumbly. Set aside half of the mixture for the topping. Press the other half into the bottom of prepared baking pan.

3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels and milk. Microwave on 50 percent power (medium) for 4 minutes or until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring twice.

4. Sprinkle chocolate chips, m&ms and pecans over crust in pan. Drizzle evenly with melted caramel mixture and top with reserved crumb mixture.

5. Bake for 25-30minutes or until the top is light golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use the foil to lift uncut bars out of pan. Cut into bars.

*Optional: these can also be made with 1 cup butter instead of 1/2 c butter, 1/2 c oil.

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bars

These are definitely going on the to make again list!

DSC 0998DSC 1003

 

And here’s a look at the cookies I got!

cookies1
Walnut Cookies from Melissa @ I Was Born to Cook
Peanut Butter Blossoms from Dr. Hbar- Chronicles of an Academic Foodie
Almond Joy to the Worlds from I don’t know who! There was no card inside!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Today’s workout:

dec11

I found this workout thanks to Lindsay who tweeted about how awesome it was. Without an interval timer, I decided it would be too much of a hassle to switch between my timer and the list of things I was supposed to be doing so I did reps instead of time, and knocked off the last set to make it still take 25 minutes.

This took me exactly 25 minutes. I didn’t rest between any of the moves within each set and rested no more than 30 seconds between sets. It definitely worked up a sweat and it was just bodyweight so there were no weights to worry about. I’ll be doing this one again. I want to do it the original way with timed intervals and see which way I like better.

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Filed Under: Baking, Dessert

About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says

    December 12, 2011 at 3:30 AM

    I did not know there were vanilla caramels either! I love the flavors in these bars and how festive they look!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:33 PM

      thank you 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lauren Slayton says

    December 12, 2011 at 6:29 AM

    Your cookies (or bars?)look great and so festive. I feel terribly that someone sent you cookies and you can’t thank them, hopefully they’ll read your blog.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:33 PM

      thank you! good news is i found out who sent me the almond joys so i could thank her!!

      Reply
  3. Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile says

    December 12, 2011 at 8:06 AM

    I rarely ever buy caramel things, but I do love the taste! These look awesome!!

    Reply
  4. Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats says

    December 12, 2011 at 8:19 AM

    Oats, chocolate, and pecans=one of my favorite cookie combos ever! I wish I would have done this dang cookie swap! lol.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:32 PM

      next year!!!!

      Reply
  5. Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health says

    December 12, 2011 at 8:46 AM

    Oh my gosh those sound amazing! And I love the festive M&Ms :). I don’t usually buy caramel things, but I think I definitely would in order to make those babies.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:32 PM

      i never buy caramels but definitely worth it to make these!

      Reply
  6. Melissa@IWasBornToCook says

    December 12, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    Caramel – YUM! Glad you enjoyed my walnut cookies 🙂

    Reply
  7. Heather says

    December 12, 2011 at 12:09 PM

    These were SO amazing. Like Oh. My. God. amazing. My husband bit into one and literally moaned.

    I’m so glad to have this recipe now! I’m making them tonight to take to my office Christmas party tomorrow, and I know they’ll be a huge hit!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:32 PM

      ahahahaha love it!!! so glad you guys liked them 🙂

      Reply
  8. Renee @ The Way to My Family's Heart says

    December 12, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    Lindsay, thanks so much for the cookies! My boys inhaled them! I guess that means they liked them :). And the Almond Joy cookies were from Jessie at http://www.bodyandsoulfood.blogspot.com. I got them too and tracked her down from her return address to thank her. I loved this cookie swap!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 12:55 PM

      glad you liked them! and thank you so much for letting me know about the cookies so i could thank jessie!!

      Reply
  9. Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says

    December 12, 2011 at 1:21 PM

    I don’t know how you could go wrong with those ingredients! Your swap partners are lucky! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:32 PM

      i know, right?! it’s like all the best ingredients in one.

      Reply
  10. Kristabel@RaceReady says

    December 12, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    Your cookie bars make me smile, so festive! Looks like one of your cookie swap buddies thought it was more like secret santa 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM

      i think so! luckily i found out who it was 🙂

      Reply
  11. Cara says

    December 12, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    My family loved these!! Thank you again!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM

      you’re welcome. so glad you liked them!

      Reply
  12. Tessa @ Amazing Asset says

    December 12, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    Wow the caramelitas and bars are both brilliant! And perfect for the holiday of course 🙂 I Just saved this page lady!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM

      make them!! so good 🙂

      Reply
  13. Matt @ The Athlete's Plate says

    December 12, 2011 at 7:44 PM

    Your cookies look delicious! My favorite are white chocolate macadamia nut 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM

      thanks! i don’t know if i’ve ever had your fav kind! better get on that.

      Reply
  14. Megan Pence says

    December 12, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    Chocolate and caramel a match made in heaven!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:30 PM

      agreed 100%

      Reply
  15. [email protected] says

    December 12, 2011 at 10:18 PM

    Oh man, these look AMAZING! I have been reading cookie posts like crazy today and I was just about to throw in the towel and then BAM! These beautiful little cookie bars waltz into my life. 😉 All of the cookies I received were AWESOME but I would loved to have received a dozen of these! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 12, 2011 at 10:30 PM

      send your address girl….i’ll hook ya up:)

      Reply
  16. Kerstin says

    December 12, 2011 at 11:18 PM

    Caramelitas are one of my very favorite cookies! Love that you made them so festive with the M&Ms!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 14, 2011 at 10:31 AM

      i can’t believe you’ve heard of them before! i didn’t even know they were a thing until i found this recipe!

      Reply
  17. Kaitlyn@TheTieDyeFiles says

    December 13, 2011 at 2:09 PM

    Yum, they look gooey and delicious. I have a cookie swap Thursday and I haven;t decided what I’m making!

    Reply
  18. Susan (Oliepants) says

    December 13, 2011 at 5:42 PM

    I’m getting a little food picture drunk looking at all those cookies. Talk about a very merry holiday season!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      December 14, 2011 at 10:29 AM

      so festive right?!

      Reply

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Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

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