Carmelitas

It's that time again. That time where I spoil everyone in my office with treats during the morning meeting. Last time I made my all healthy, all delicious (and gluten-free I might add) chocolate muffins. This week, I went in a complete opposite direction with these carmelitas. Chocolate chips and caramel sandwiched between buttery oat crumbs. These are salty, sweet, and just plain good. Plus, they have a little latin flair, just like me! I am so lucky to have 20+ people to share these with at work, not to mention my sweet-toothed boyfriend who happily took the leftovers, so that I didn't eat the enitre tray myself!

Carmelitas:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups, unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 bag (12-oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 jar caramel ice cream topping
• sea salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, butter and baking soda until well combined. Press half of the mixture into a 13x9 dish and bake for 10 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and top the crust with the chocolate chips. Spoon the caramel sauce over the chocolate chips. Sprinkle with the sea salt, to taste.

Crumble the remaining crust over the mixture as evenly as possible and return to oven for 15 minutes. Let them cool completely before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.