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Life Made Sweeter

Healthy & Delicious Recipes to sweeten up your life

Pumpkin Oatmeal Carmelitas + Recipe VIDEO

Pumpkin Carmelitas (Oatmeal Bars) make the perfect fall treat. Best of all, they’re easy to make with simple to find pantry ingredients like oatmeal, pumpkin, caramel, chocolate and pecans. Plus recipe video.

Pumpkin Carmelitas are the easy treat for fall. Best of all, they're soft, chewy and full of delicious layers of oatmeal, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, chocolate and gooey caramel. Great for bringing along to dessert bars or any potluck or parties.
Updated photos and video added on October 2017 from original post of October 2015

Have I overloaded you with pumpkin already? I’ve been trying to space them out and have actually been holding onto this recipe since August.

These Pumpkin Carmelitas have been on my must make list for the longest time. Carmelitas are my favorite sweet treat and I couldn’t wait to add a fall spin to them.

It actually took a few tries to get these bars just right but oh my goodness, they are SO worth it.

Pumpkin Carmelitas are the easy treat for fall. Best of all, they're soft, chewy and full of delicious layers of oatmeal, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, chocolate and gooey caramel. Great for bringing along to dessert bars or any potluck or parties.

Pumpkin Carmelitas

These soft and gooey oatmeal bars are a decadent treat for those days you need the ultimate sweet treat loaded with texture.

They start off with a chewy and buttery oatmeal crust which also doubles as the topping. Next comes a sprinkle of semi-sweet chocolate chips and some crunchy pecans. You can also use your favorite chopped chocolate if you prefer.

Then a mixture of pumpkin caramel gets poured over top. It bakes up into an ooey gooey hot molten filling that adds the most amazing layer.

And finally more of the buttery streusel crumble tops everything off.

The hardest part is definitely waiting for these bad boys to cool off from the oven. This allows the caramel filling to set and not turn into a hot mess when you’re biting into it.

If you’re pressed for time, you can always speed up the process by placing the pan in the fridge.

Soft, chewy and perfect for sharing on Thanksgiving or your next holiday gathering.

Pumpkin Carmelitas are the easy treat for fall. Best of all, they're soft, chewy and full of delicious layers of oatmeal, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, chocolate and gooey caramel. Great for bringing along to dessert bars or any potluck or parties.

Pumpkin Carmelitas are the easy treat for fall. Best of all, they're soft, chewy and full of delicious layers of oatmeal, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, chocolate and gooey caramel. Great for bringing along to dessert bars or any potluck or parties.
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Carmelitas

Oatmeal bars made with pumpkin, caramel, chocolate and pecans make a tempting and irresistible treat for fall.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter melted
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecan pieces optional
  • Pumpkin Caramel Filling
  • 1 1/2 cups caramel bits or 34 caramel squares unwrapped
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or tin foil, leaving an overhang. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. To make the pumpkin caramel filling - In a small saucepan set over low heat, cook the caramel with heavy cream until completely smooth, stirring often. Whisk in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
  3. To make the carmelita bars - In a large mixing bowl, whisk brown sugar and melted butter together. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and mix until crumbly.
  4. Press a little bit more than half of the mixture on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips and chopped pecans over the crust.
  6. Pour the pumpkin caramel in the pan, spreading evenly.
  7. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.
  8. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15-19 minutes, or until the edges are lightly brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely so the pumpkin caramel sets up. You can place them in the fridge to speed up the process. Once cool, cut into squares and drizzle with additional caramel if desired.

 More oatmeal bars:

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Oatmeal Carmelitas make the perfect easy decadent treat. Best of all, they're soft, chewy and full of delicious layers of oatmeal, chocolate and gooey caramel. Great for bringing along to dessert bars or any potluck or parties.

Maple Peanut Butter Pecan Oatmeal Bars

Maple Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars make the perfect healthy fall treat.

More treats from across the web:

Baked Oatmeal Snacks – Kath Eats

Healthy Peanut Butter Chunk Oatmeal Bars – Sally’s Baking Addiction

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars – Well Plated

Did you try this recipe?

I'd love to see! Just snap a photo and hashtag it #LIFEMADESWEETER or tag me @lifemadesweeter on Instagram

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Comments

  7. Oh my goodness - what a treat! I just made some simple oatmeal bars yesterday to bring to a couple of girlfriends. In the back of my mind, I did think about how to add some chocolate in there! haha. I didn't but I'm thinking your chocolate pecan layer is genius. And the pumpkin caramel is such a surprise. Do you whisk in the pumpkin puree after the caramel and cream has melted/incorporated? Looks crazy good!

  8. I have a real soft spot for oatmeal based bars. They are just so hearty and crumbly. And these look perfect. They are packed with everything I like.

  9. They look perfect Kelly. What a lovely way to use pumpkins with caramel, perfect combo. The kids would go crazy for this. Need to pin this. Have a fab weekend dear.

  13. I'm loving these pumpkin recipes so keep 'em coming! There's something about bars that makes them feel so wholesome and good! I love the addition of pumpkin pie spice to these and think they'd be perfect from here to Thanksgiving (and beyond because pumpkin pie spice = good)!

  21. These bars look absolutely perfect, Kelly! I'm a huge fan of oatmeal bars, but your addition of pumpkin, caramel, chocolate and pecans totally takes the over the top in the yum department! All your pumpkin recipes have looked fantastic, so as far as I'm concerned you are forgiven for the pumpkin overload! Can't wait to see the next one you post!! Pinned! Cheers, my dear! <3

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