Description
Caramel Crush Bars bring sweet comfort straight from your kitchen, melding rich chocolate and smooth caramel in one delightful treat. Grab your baking pan and get ready to create a dessert that’ll make your taste buds dance with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Base and Crust:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups butter
Caramel Layer:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup milk
Finishing:
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and prepare a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper or grease.
- Melt 1 ¼ cups butter completely in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the melted butter with 1 ½ cups quick oats, 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ cups brown sugar until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Press two-thirds of the crust mixture firmly into the prepared pan, creating an even base layer.
- Bake the crust at 325°F for exactly 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat.
- Add 1 cup brown sugar to the melted butter, stirring continuously for 1 minute until smooth.
- Incorporate ¼ cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons flour into the caramel mixture.
- Bring the caramel to a slow boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes until it thickens.
- Remove caramel from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Pour the caramel evenly over the cooled crust base.
- Sprinkle the reserved one-third of crust mixture over the caramel layer.
- Bake at 300°F for 20 minutes until the edges turn golden.
- Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely, which will help them set and firm up.
Notes
- Ensure butter is completely melted and mixed thoroughly with dry ingredients for a consistent crust texture.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and clean cutting of bars after cooling.
- When making caramel filling, stir constantly to prevent burning and achieve smooth consistency.
- Allow bars to cool completely at room temperature for at least 2 hours to set properly and develop rich caramel flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 33 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 324 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 68 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg