Decadent Sweet Chewy Turtle Bars (Printable)

Caramel, chocolate, and pecans layered over a buttery oat crumb create these indulgent chewy bars perfect for dessert.

# What You 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 Make:

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 texture forms.
03 - Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan to form crust base.
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 layer chopped pecans on top.
07 - Pour warm caramel sauce evenly over chocolate and pecan layers.
08 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over caramel layer.
09 - Return pan to oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until topping is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crumbly oat topping gives you texture in every bite without feeling too heavy.
  • You can use store-bought caramel and still get that gooey, glossy layer everyone craves.
  • They slice cleanly once cooled, making them perfect for gifting or stacking on a plate.
  • The combination of chocolate, caramel, and pecans tastes like the candy but feels more homemade and personal.
02 -
  • Don't skip the par-bake on the crust or the bottom will turn out gummy instead of firm and chewy.
  • Let the bars cool all the way before cutting, or the caramel will ooze out and you'll end up with a messy (but delicious) pile.
  • If your caramel is too thick to pour, add an extra tablespoon of cream and stir over low heat until it loosens up.
03 -
  • Toast the pecans for a few minutes before adding them to bring out their flavor and make them extra crunchy.
  • Line your pan with parchment paper that overhangs the edges so you can lift the whole block out and cut on a cutting board instead of in the pan.
  • If you want to make these ahead, bake and cool them completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month.
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