Soft and Chewy Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie Bars a.k.a. Turtle Bars.
I had to go there. It was bound to happen at some point. I spotted "THEM".
Ghirardelli Caramel Baking Chips is *ahem* "THEM"!!!
Or maybe they spotted me and knew I wouldn't be able to resist.
Wait? We're talking caramel right? (Yes, we are, but....)
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But, I've never had Caramel Baking Chips. Have you? I've used the butterscotch and peanut butter chips, besides the obvious chocolate chips, but wait, what are these like?? I had to find out!
I've been wanting to make something turtle-ish, so here was a new way to bake with a new type of caramel and I was dying to find out how it tasted!
Ghirardelli
The texture of the caramel, while in a warm cookie is melty, like actual good quality chocolate chips would be.
Eating them plain, without the cookie bodies, they are delicious. Velvety caramel yumminess. In the cookie, it has the same texture. They are really tasty! Next time you go down the chocolate chip aisle, grab a bag and try 'THEM". 
If you love the combination of buttery caramel, divine chocolate, crunchy pecans all in an oatmeal cookie bar, you're gonna love these for sure!
Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 and ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled room temperature
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar I used Zulka
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 2 and ¼ cups old-fashioned oats I used Flahavan's
- 1 cup chocolate chips I used Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup caramel chips I used Ghirardelli Caramel Chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Topping
- 1 cup chocolate chips I used Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup caramel chips I used Ghirardelli Caramel Chips
- Whole pecans for top of bars
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan or 2 8x8 baking pans with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda & salt and whisk together well.
- In a separate bowl, using a mixer, beat together the melted butter and sugars, then add the egg and continue beating until combined.
- Add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat until just combined.
- Add in the oats and beat on medium speed until combined .
- Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips, 1 cup caramel chips and 1 cup chopped pecans.
- Transfer the dough to the baking pan(s) and spread out.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes and remove from oven. Do not overbake, you want soft and chewy. 😀
- Remove from oven.
- Sprinkle the remainder the chocolate chips and caramel chips to the top of the bars and let sit for 5 minutes. Spread the chips around with a knife and frost the bars and let cool.
- Once cooled or room temp, cut the bars and place pecans on top.
Recipe adapted from Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies @ Just So Tasty.
Ashika, I like your excuse. It sounds like one I would use. 🙂
These sound like heaven in a cookie bar. The combination of pecans,and chocolate chips sound amazing and since it has oatmeal in it I'm using it as an excuse to have it for breakfast ?
Thank you Stacey! They really do sound yummy with coffee! 😀
These bars look amazing!! I need them with my coffee! I have not used caramel chips, like you I have only tried the others. These bars are proof that caramel chips are a winner 🙂 . Take care.
Thank you so much Katherine! 🙂
I'm scared if I tried "them" I would just eat the whole bag!!! But I'd have to resist so I can try these oat cookie bars. So yummy Kim!!
Yes Liz! I latched on to them like nobody's business! Soooo yummy and thank you!!
OMGosh yes these would be great for after school treats and lunchboxes Maria! They are tasty too!
LOL Kelly! Thank you!!
Yes, it is the real deal! I so agree with you Kelsie!!!! I don't like the caramel bits either for the same reason, but these caramel chips are f-f-f-fab!
You must get them Deepika! I just bought some more!! Thank you! 😀
Wait a minute!!! There are caramel baking chips???? I need to hunt them down, then make your recipe ASAP!
Pecans and caramel are like BFFs n my world!!! Now that schools have started, I'm hunting for lunchbox / after school treat and these would be just perfect!
AKA: Get in my mouth bars!!! Yummmmm! Awesome recipe Kim! Xoxo 🙂
Um WHAT? Caramel chips? I've never seen such a glorious thing--I've seen the caramel bits in the baking aisle but I don't care for them as they taste like plastic. I need to find a bag of the chips! I'm loooooving this recipe 🙂
Wowww!! These bars sound yummy Kim 🙂 They have everything going for them!! Chocolate,gooey caramel and crunchy pecans! Perfection! PS I need those Caramel chips in my life 😀