Sweet and Chewy Turtle Bars (Printable)

Golden oat bars topped with melted chocolate, caramel, and toasted pecans for an irresistible chewy treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust & Topping

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup rolled oats
03 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

→ Filling

08 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
09 - 1 cup chopped pecans

→ Caramel Layer

10 - 1 cup caramel sauce
11 - 1/4 cup heavy cream

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, salt, and baking soda. Mix until crumbly.
03 - Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
04 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine caramel sauce and heavy cream. Stir constantly until smooth and well combined. Remove from heat.
06 - Remove crust from oven. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over warm crust, then sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
07 - Pour warm caramel sauce evenly over the chocolate and pecans.
08 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over the caramel layer.
09 - Return pan to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until topping is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttery oat crumble stays tender on the bottom and crispy on top, giving you two textures in one bite.
  • Caramel seeps into every corner, so you never get a dry spot.
  • They slice clean after cooling but stay chewy enough to feel indulgent.
  • You can make them on a weeknight and still have time to clean up before bed.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper if you want clean edges, the caramel sticks like glue otherwise.
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting or the layers will slide apart and make a gooey mess.
  • If your caramel is too thick to pour, add an extra tablespoon of cream and warm it a bit more.
03 -
  • Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them, it brings out an almost buttery flavor.
  • If you want a thicker caramel layer, use an extra quarter cup of caramel sauce and reduce the cream slightly.
  • Line the pan so the parchment hangs over two sides, then lift the whole slab out before cutting for perfect squares every time.
Return