Chocolate Caramel Pecan Oatmeal Bars

Holy cow but these are good! IT Guy walked in the door from work and dove right in and could not stay out of them. These are so easy to whip up and makes a nice pan full of yumminess. Great for lunches or an evening snack. And I bet you can’t eat just one.

Chocolate Caramel 

Pecan Oatmeal Bars

 

1 box yellow cake mix

2 1/2 cups quick oats

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter ~ melted

Dash of salt

1 11-ounce package chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans

25 caramels ~ unwrapped

1 tablespoon water

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Pour chopped pecans in a 9x13 inch pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.

 

Place pecans on a plate to cool.

 

Spray the 9x13 inch pan REALLY well with cooking spray. 

 

Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.

 

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oatmeal and melted butter. 

 

Stir with a fork until well mixed.

 

Place half of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan. Press down.

 

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and toasted pecans then scatter the remaining oatmeal mixture on top.

 

Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.

 

In a small bowl, combine the unwrapped caramel and the 1 tablespoon of water. Microwave for 1 minutes stirring every 15 seconds until smooth.

 

Drizzle caramel on top of oatmeal bars.

 

Cool, slice and eat!

Here we go!!!

Toast the pecans!

Combine the cake mix, 

oatmeal and melted butter.

Crumbly!

Add half of the crumble mixture 

to the pan then add the chocolate 

chips and pecans.

Then the rest of the crumble mixture.

Bake!

Melt the caramels with the water and stir until smooth. then drizzle over the cooked bars.

Cool, slice and eat!

Maple Bars

Okay...so these have to be about the easiest thing ever when you want to fix your family a treat or impress your friends. Canned biscuits, a simple homemade frosting and seriously... you could open your own donut shop. And I’m not even much of a maple person...but these are GOOD! The frosting makes enough for TWO cans of biscuits but you can make up the whole amount and only use one can of biscuits now and use half the frosting now then stick it in the fridge until you want to make another batch. Which I will predict....will be in just a few days.

Maple Bars

 

2 cans refrigerated homestyle biscuits

2 cups oil ~ for frying the bars

1/3 cup butter ~ softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon maple extract

pinch of salt

 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

 

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and milk over medium heat. 

 

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook and stir for a couple of minutes. 

 

Remove from heat and allow to sit while frying the bars. 

 

To fry the bars, stretch each biscuit into a bar shape being careful not to tear the dough. 

 

Fry each bar on both sides for a couple of minutes until golden brown and done in the center. 

 

Cool and drain on a wire rack. 

 

To finish the frosting, add the maple extract, salt and powdered sugar to the butter mixture and stir until smooth. 

 

Dip the tops of each of the bars into the frosting and set aside for frosting to set up.

Let's cook some maple bars!

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan.

Gently stretch the dough into a bar shape.

Fry up the bars!

Add the powdered sugar, maple extract and salt. Stir to combine!

Dip!

Set aside for the frosting to set up.

Enjoy!

Magic Berry Bars

Everyone has heard of magic bars, right? Well, here's a fun twist on an old favorite! Add some jam to the layers! It's super good and it's always fun to change up an old standard! We gobbled these down pretty quickly and you can use just about any kind of berry jam you like. Strawberry and raspberry are a favorite here because of how well they both pair with chocolate. But hey...just about anything pairs well with chocolate in my world!

Magic Berry Bars



1 2/3 cups graham crackers crumbs
1 stick butter ~ melted
3 tablespoons sugar
3 cups coconut
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup berry jam ~ strawberry, raspberry, blackberry or a mixture
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips ~ melted
1/2 cup white chocolate chips ~ melted with 1 teaspoon of shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham crackers crumbs, melted butter and sugar.

Press mixture into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the coconut over the crust and drizzle with the sweetened condensed milk.

Bake for 25 minutes or until coconut is lightly browned.

Allow to cool completely.

Spread the jam over the cooled coconut then sprinkle with pecans.

Drizzle with melted chocolate chips then drizzle with white chocolate chips.

Allow to set for a while for chocolate to harden.

Slice and eat!

 
Aaaaannnd...we're off!

 
Combine the graham crackers crumbs, 
melted butter and sugar. Press into a 9x13 inch pan.

 
Sprinkle with the coconut then 
drizzle with the sweetened 
condensed milk. Bake and cool. 
Then spread on the jam.

 
Scatter the pecans over the jam.

 
Then drizzle with the melted chocolates.

 
Set and serve!

Oatmeal Cherry Crumble Bars

This makes a big ole pan of goodness, right here. These easy bars are perfect for a snack or breakfast or to throw in a lunch. Warmed, with a big scoop of ice cream would be a little bit of heaven, I think. If you've of a mind, stir a dash of almond flavoring into the cherries before adding it to the crust. Then sprinkle some sliced almonds on the top crust before baking! So delish!

Oatmeal Cherry Crumble Bars



1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cup rolled oats
1 cup butter ~ softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and rolled oats.

Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.

Press 3-4 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Spread the cherry pie filling almost to the edge.

Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, and press lightly.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

Allow to cool then cut into bars.

 
Here we go!

 
Combine the flour, butter, oats, 
brown sugar, and baking soda.

 
Press 3-4 cups of the mixture 
into a 9x13 inch pan.

 
Gently spread the cherries on top.

 
Then spread the remaining oat 
mixture on top. It's okay if some 
of the cherries peek through. Bake!

 
Cool and slice!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Salted caramel is all the rage these days so when I saw this recipe for butter bars, I knew I had to try it. These are SO good. I took them to a party last week and I came home with just a few but had some tucked away at home that "conveniently" didn't fit on my platter. ;-) My friend who hosted the party asked me to bring her some extra the next day and of course, I did! Keep in mind, that if you're not a salted caramel fan, you can use regular caramel but there's just something about that sweet/salty combo that appeals to me! Give these a try soon!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars



4 sticks (yes, 4) butter ~ room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups flour plus 2 tablespoons ~ divided use
1 11-ounce jar salted caramel sauce (I used Smucker's)
Sprinkling of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla and sugars.

Add the 4 cups of flour one cup at a time until well combined.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of the foil lined pan.

Bake crust for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the caramel sauce and the 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix well.

Pour caramel sauce over the baked crust.

Crumble the remaining dough over the caramel, sprinkle lightly with sea salt and return to the oven.

Bake an additional 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely before cutting.

 
Let's go!

 
Mix together the butter, sugars and vanilla.

 
Add the flour.

 
Divide the dough in half and press 
half into the prepared pan. Bake!

 
Mix the caramel sauce and the 
remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.

 
Pour caramel over the baked crust.

 
Sprinkle the remaining dough over 
the caramel then sprinkle with a little sea salt.

 
Continue baking.

 
Cool then cut into squares.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars with Carmel Drizzle

Pecan pie is just so-so for me. I can take it or leave it...meh. But, you know me, I'm always striving to make yummy things around here and since other family members LOVE pecan pie, I knew these would be a hit. These are so rich and decadent. This recipe only makes a small pan which is a good thing because you can only eat so much of a good thing, right? Unless it's bacon. But you really should try these....ooey, gooey, sticky and delicious!


Chocolate Chip Pecan Bars 
with Carmel Drizzle



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 inch baking pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray.

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter ~ softened

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Press mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle crust with 1 cup rough chopped pecans and 1 cup chocolate chips.


Filling:

1/3 cup dark Karo syrup
1 egg
1/3 cup brown sugar
dash salt

Mix ingredients in a small bowl. 

Pour filling over pecans and chocolate chips on the crust.

Press down with a spatula to make sure filling is evenly distributed.

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until filling is set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temp.

Lift out of the pan using the foil then slice.

Drizzle bars with 1/2 cup caramel topping. 



 

The stuff.

 

Line your pan with foil the 

spray with cooking spray.

 

Mix up the stuff for the crust.

 

Press it into the pan then pre-bake 

it for about 15 minutes.

 

Now for the filling. Combine the 

egg, salt, karo syrup, vanilla 

and brown sugar.

 

Sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips 

over the pre-baked crust. Pour the 

filling over the nuts and press down 

with a spatula a little bit to make 

sure the filling is evenly distributed.

 

Bake!

 

Allow to cool then lift out of the pan and slice.

 

Ooey, gooey and delicious!