Salted Caramel Bars Recipe

These salted caramel bars are a crowd favorite – share them and everyone will want the recipe! Made with butter, oats, caramels and a sprinkle of sea salt, it’s impossible to have just one!

A friend recently stunned me when she said, I don’t really like salted caramel. When I asked if she liked caramel, she just sort of shrugged. Like she could take it or leave it. 

Wait. What?

I would die for salted caramel. I just couldn’t (and still can’t) understand what she was talking about.

Caramel is life. It can top ice cream, chocolate cake, vanilla cake or any kind of cake.

Pour it over anything made with my apple pie filling, or put it on top of pumpkin bread.

Honestly, there are very few treats that aren’t made better with salted caramel on top!

If you love caramel, especially salted caramel, as much as I do, you’re going to love these salted caramel bars. Bring these delicious bars to a potluck and you’ll be sharing the recipe over and over again. 

Bring these bar cookies to a family gathering and you’ll be asked to bring them to every party from that day on. 

Believe me, these salted caramel bars are a real winner.

About salted caramel bars

What makes these salted caramel bars so good? Probably the combination of these simple ingredients:

• Caramel candies
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Salt
• Chocolate

Did you read that list? You really can’t go wrong!

When I think of butter and brown sugar, I think “melt in your mouth.” The addition of oats makes for an irresistibly chewy crust and crumbly top. It’s all so good together. 

If you’re looking for a no bake variation that’s similar to this recipe, these no bake chocolate oatbars could be for you. And if you love treats that have a bit of everything, check out these Kitchen Sink Cookies.

How to make Salted Caramel Bars

Salted Caramel Bars ingredients

• 36 wrapped caramels
• 5 tablespoons half and half
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 pan and set aside. Unwrap the caramels and combine them with the half and half in a small saucepan over low heat until melted.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt together. Stir in the butter until well mixed and crumbly. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the greased pan.
3. Bake the bottom crust 10 minutes. Remove and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Gently spread the chocolate across the crust when melted. Pour the melted caramel on top and dust with sea salt, then sprinkle the remaining oat and brown sugar mixture on top of that.
4. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

I made extra caramel sauce to drizzle on top for some of the pictures, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The bars are amazing as is, and the drizzled caramel adds more mess than flavor. 

When your bars are cool, you can cut them into squares. They’re so good, they’ll disappear quickly, I promise!

Be sure to visit other bloggers participating in the Valentine’s Day event and check out their recipes!

Why I’m sharing my recipe today

I want to let you all know that I have a special reason for sharing this recipe today. It’s to raise money for Cookies for Kids Cancer.

This is my third time participating in this fundraising event, and I look forward to it each year.

This year, I’ve teamed up with 36 other bloggers to donate money and share a Valentine’s Day treat recipe. Doing both of these allows us to contribute to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer and raise awareness about this amazing nonprofit! Last year I posted a recipe for potato chip cookies, and the year before that I shared how to make pan banging cookies.

Scroll down to see the delicious recipes other bloggers have posted!

Cancer is the #1 cause of death of children by disease in the U.S. There are 40,000 U.S. children actively battling cancer right now. The National Cancer Institute’s budget for childhood cancer is less than 4%.

Help us make a difference by donating to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer! I donated last week, and I’d love to see you contribute to the cause.

Our goal is to raise at least $3000. Because three companies, OXO, Mediavine amd Dixie Crystals, have each pledged to match our donations raised through this campaign up to $3000! That means when we raise $1, it turns into $4!

Click here to donate today!

Brownie Cups from Julie of The Little Kitchen

Valentine’s Blondie Bars from The Salted Cookie

Strawberry Cake Rolls from The Redhead Baker

Paleo Almond Butter Cookies from Hot Pan Kitchen

Black Tahini Truffles from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Pink Glitter Drink for Valentine’s Day from Ever After in the Woods

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookie Bars from Persnickety Plates

Dark Chocolate and Smokey Blue Cheese Gougères from Taste Cook Sip

Nutella Cookies from Organized Island

Butterscotch Cookies from Urban Bliss Life

Gluten Free Hot Cocoa Cookies from Small Farm Big Life

Cherry Cheesecake Bars from Untwisted Vintage

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies from Flippin’ Delicious

chocolate heart cookies from the decorated cookie

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies from Swirls of Flavor

Cotton Candy Buttercream Cupcakes from Crazy for Cookies and More

Valentine’s Day Delight Recipe from The Rebel Chick

Heart of Gold Chocolate Sprinkle Blossoms from The Spiffy Cookie

Vegan Matcha Rose Shortbread from Apron Warrior

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies from  An Edible Mosaic

Strawberry Macarons from April of April Erhard

Mini Chocolate Lava Kiss Cakes from It’s Okay to Eat the Cupcake

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies with White Chocolate from Blogghetti