We live in a big-but-not-huge town. We have a P.F. Chang’s and a Pottery Barn and two malls and two full-price movie theaters. But we don’t have a Williams-Sonoma. Instead, we have a few delightful, locally-owned kitchen stores. One of them holds a monthly baking contest, and these Carmelitas were supposed to be my ticket to local baking contest greatness.
See, a Carmelita is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill treat. Rather, it is like a buttery oatmeal cookie that swallowed a caramel-filled chocolate bar and then got bibitty-bobitty-booed by the dessert fairy godmother and received an extra dose of deliciousness. Everyone I have ever talked to who has tasted one has proclaimed it to be the most wonderful thing ever. I’m not exaggerating!
I tasted my first Carmelita last year while I was visiting my sister. I liked it so much that I helped her eat the whole pan in two days. Just the two of us. A 9×13″ pan. Two days. And we liked it…obviously.
When I got my kitchen store newsletter in January, I started planning out my strategy. Some months I knew I’d be gone, some months I couldn’t think of a good cookie to make, but September–Oatmeal Cookie Month–I knew would be mine because I was going to make Carmelitas, and no one can resist them. They were like my fail-safe. If my coconut macaroons didn’t win in April (they didn’t), and if my bar cookies didn’t win in June (nope), and if my thumbprints didn’t win in August (er, not them either), then I’d knock everyone’s socks off in September with the best oatmeal cookie any of them had ever tasted!
The email naming the winner took a few extra weeks to be sent–no lie–and I was on pins and needles the whole time. When I saw it sitting there in my in-box, I had one of those strange prickling sensation on the back of my neck that you always hear about in stories–not a good feeling. The thought popped into my head that if I had won, they probably would have called or emailed me or something before just sending it out in an email newsletter. But I still didn’t think any cookie could beat my sweet Carmelitas, it just wasn’t possible!
But it was true: a recipe for oatmeal cookies studded with white chocolate and dried cranberries had been crowned the champ. I just could not–and a part of me still doesn’t–imagine any oatmeal cookie tasting better than the best cookie I’d ever had.
Epilogue
If I sound just a wee bit crazy, get a load of this! Last week, I had to go into the kitchen store to buy 20 tiny salt spoons (more on that another time), and I actually brought up the oatmeal cookie contest to the cashier! Even though it had occurred to me to ask about the results, I don’t think I had really planned on doing it, because I sort of ummed and uhhed and stumbled all over my words.
It ended up being, “Umm, well, I sort of was wondering, um, do you guys, you know, like…..keep the results from past contests? ‘Cause I was just, you know, um, maybe if you, you know, remembered the Carmelitas, uh,” **very blank look from the cashier at this point**, “how close it was, uh, you know, like,” and I just sort of trailed off! These baking contests have turned me into a raving lunatic!!
Carmelitas
Ingredients
- 32 caramel squares, unwrapped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel.
- Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
Notes
For more cookie recipes, CLICK HERE and explore my cookie recipe archives.
They look delicious and although I’m sure it’s not much of a consolation they would have beaten a cranberry and white choc cookie a million times over if I were on the judging panel! Your recipe was more original and it looks and sounds delicious 🙂
These are the best ever
I had these at a baby shower on Saturday. They were so good that I had 4…was on a sugar high all night but so worth the 4 pounds it cost me. How can that be? The gal that made them…the grandma to be made her own caramel and also used a high quality chocolate that she chopped herself. It was milk chocolate and I am a dark chocolate lover, but I LOVED those bars, and I can imagine what they would be like with a mix of dark and milk chocolate. I am SO glad to have this recipe…and I kept the hilarious and sad story with it…too bad the judges didn’t have any taste buds.
i cant imagine that cookie winning either. this is going to be the third event I bake these for—mmmmm, they have been a huge hit! I will bake them again on Sunday for a mothers day lunch! thanks for sharing… pretty sure all the ladies in my office would have voted for Carmelitas!
Want to make these, but I have only milk.. not heavy cream. Wonder if it would still work?
Hi Kitty. I’m sure milk would work. Evaporated milk would probably be great if you have any of that. Maybe don’t add quite as much as it calls for?? Let me know how they turn out!
These look delicious! I’m wondering if I could nix the flour and add extra oats? I eat gluten free but would LOVE to modify the recipe…any ideas? Thanks! 🙂
I have no experience with gluten-free baking! But I’m sure you could find a substitute for the flour, especially since they really don’t have that much flour in them. Maybe 1 cup whole oats and 1 cup oat flour?? You could just grind up a bunch of oats and measure out 1 cup. Let me know if you try something and have success!
quick question: i made these yesterday and while they were sinfully delicious they never solidified. i let them cool for a while and then put them in the fridge for a few hours. is there a trick to making them stay together? you couldn’t really even pick up a square to eat it – it was more of a utensil bar 😉
thanks!
~princi in san francisco
Maybe try using it as a topping for vanilla ice cream? Yummy!
Hi Princi! I have had to put them in the fridge before to hasten the setting up of the caramel, but they’ve always solidified pretty well eventually. I hope they were delicious even if they were messy!
Just by looking at the cookies(going to try them soon), I’m shocked they didn’t win either. I’m definitely shocked that white chocolate and cranberries even came close to this recipe! Wow. Anyway, I know in advance that my family is going to thank you for this recipe. Thanks for sharing:)
Hi, Kitty- I’m a profession pastry chef, so I know a few tricks of the trade. If you don’t have any heavy cream nearby, simply follow these simple, foolproof instructions! To substitute 1 cup of heavy cream, mix 3/4 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of butter(melted and cooled). Just don’t try to whip this, it won’t work.
Thanks for the tip, Brittney! I’ll have to try that next time I’m short on ingredients!
Just sayin…white chocolate and cranberry cookies are absolutely to die for. Guess you need to try them to know that though. I made them last year and everyone just loved them!!
Give them a try…..
You totally should have won. I have had carmelitas before and they are beyond awesome. I bet they just didn’t try them since they don’t look like a traditional oatmeal cookie :).
This post made me laugh so hard Melissa! And I have to say I was on pins and needles reading to see if you won! I’m sorry it didn’t work out. Don’t give up. I would have loved to see you there asking about your cookies….I’m still laughing 🙂
My thoughts exactly. I can’t wait to make these. When it’s time I will re-read her story and pretend to be competing against a Carmelitas champion.
Oh my goodness, those look amazing! I think I’ve had those before…A woman in the ward I grew up in made those, and they were SO incredibly addicting 🙂 So I wouldn’t call it craziness at all; they should have won, plain and simple. You are completely justified…
These sound ridiculous (in a good way.) I already think you should’ve won. No white chocolate oatmeal cookie could beat this.
I love you. And I am sure I would have crowned your cookies the bestest. Cranberries with oatmeal doesn’t really sound good to me. Lamespice. Wish I could have tasted them in the height of their glory.
The only madness was the store not choosing your Carmelitas as the winner!!!!!
My diet is not thanking you for such an fantastic recipe!!!!
Looking forward to following all your future adventures :-}
The judging panel must not have been in their right minds. I am definitely definitely definitely favouring these caramelitas over some common white choc and cranberry oatmeal cookies.!
I made these last week using the recipe you posted and they were SO delicious! Everyone loved them who tried them. Thanks so much for posting it. Super easy and quick too!
Man that just stinks. Those people must have something against caramel. The cookies look amazing- I can feel myself gaining weight just looking at them 🙂
Rave reviews from my coworkers! However, since I’ve never baked with caramel before I didn’t know you’re not supposed to leave the stove while melting it. I had to stop in the middle to buy more caramel and another sauce pan. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
I do it in the microwave
Thanks for this recipe–I’ve made them twice in a month and I love them! They’ve changed my life. . .maybe not in a good way.
thanks for this recipe–i’ve made it twice in a month. you’ve changed my life with these. . .maybe not in a good way.
My best friend used to make these every Christmas and she would always make an extra batch, just for me. She knew how much I loved them and I so looked forward to getting them every year. She moved away, life happened and I haven’t had my carmelitas for several years now. I’m making these, tomorrow. Can’t wait. Thanks so much for sharing this, you should have won…cranberry oatmeal????, that just makes me cringe.
You had me at caramel. Yum…thanks for sharing!
I just made these and all I can say is UNBELIEVABLE!!!! thanks for the amazing recipe!
Oh my gosh, sounds wonderful, can’t wait to make these. Thanks for sharing.
Yumyum!!! Looks great! bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com
Oh my gosh! I have a very similar carmelitas recipe (added in M&Ms to it) and entered into my work’s Bake Off at work several Decembers ago. Like you, I thought FOR SURE I’d win b/c they are just that delicious. Sadly, I did not. And the kicker is the guy who won actually had his wife make the treats. Totally should have been DQed!
QuinnBen–It’s not something you ever get over! I still can’t believe the carmelitas didn’t win, and it was over a year ago!
I make these all the time! And everyone one LOVES them! People are always begging for the recipe. You should have won!!! 🙂
Found this via Pinterest. This may be the mecca of “I’ve had a bay day, I need one scrumptiously decadently wonderful bite of consolation right now!” food. Thank you for sharing your story & this seemingly heavenly recipe. (You had me at caramel.)
Cheers,
Heather @ Find That Warm Fuzzy Feeling
Those people are idiots! These look delicious and I can’t wait to try them!!
I totally understand how you feel! I have a favorite cookie recipe, too, and when it didn’t even get honorable mention in the Taste of Home Cookie Contest, I was SO angry! Seriously, I dreamed about it, I was so angry. sigh.
(my favorite cookie ever is Chocolate Walnut Kiss cookies which is basically a walnut-studded butter cookie dough wrapped around hershey kisses and then covered in powdered sugar after baking.
I have to try these carmelitas! thank you!
Once you double the recipe for a 9×13 what would be the new baking times?
Johna–Walnuts make my mouth hurt, but I might have to try those Chocolate Walnut Kisses anyway; they sound delicious!
sbawarski–you don’t have to adjust the baking time at all as long as you are doubling the ingredients.
When I saw the Carmelitas I knew what they were. I have been making them since the 1960’s. I found the recipe in a soft cover book at the grocery check out and the title is “a treasury of bake off favorites”, they were prize winning recipes from Pillsbury. In the book they are called “Oatmeal Carmelitas”. If you want to inquire about this book it was copyright in 1969 by The Pillsbury Company, printed in the USA. The funny part is the price was 98 cents.
This is very true, I did the same thing by getting the recipe from the Pillsbury Top winner recipe in 60s. Made it a tradition to make them every Christmas and I passed it on to my kids that are grown and have their own kids! However, we added pecans to ours!
When I saw the Carmelitas I knew what they were. I have been making them since the 1960’s. I found the recipe in a soft cover book at the grocery check out and the title is “a treasury of bake off favorites”, they were prize winning recipes from Pillsbury. In the book they are called “Oatmeal Carmelitas”. If you want to inquire about this book it was copyright in 1969 by The Pillsbury Company, printed in the USA. The funny part is the price was 98 cents.
You would have won in my book!!! Those look so DELISH and will definitely have to make them. They struck a sentimental cord in me because my baby’s name is Carmella and Carmelita is her baby name in Spanish. Carmelita is also my Aunt’s name but we call her Carmen. LOVE IT!!!
I’m glad there are others who feel like I do so I thoroughly enjoyed your tale! 🙂 I do love oatmeal/whitechocolate/cranberry cookies but I can not wait to try these!
Looks like you’ve hit pintrest fame so that may even be better?!?
Oh.Ma.Gawd- these look AMazing!!!! Found them on Pinterest and plan on making them this week. Loved your story by the way!
OH MY GOD. 3 of my favorite things…. Oatmeal, chocolate, and ooooooo caramel!!! How could you not win? Cranberries and white chocolate (which isn’t even REAL chocolate, btw!!!)?!?!? I CALL SHENANIGANS!!!!
I am making these immediately. And putting a blue ribbon on the pan. ON PRINCIPLE.
I’m pretty sure you should have one. A friend brought me some of these today and they are DELICIOUS! I am a baking snob and frequently throw out treats other people bring, but not these ones! I won’t even share them with my husband. They are all for me!
These look so delicious! Making them this weekend.
I just made these and they were so delicious! I doubled it and put in a 9×13 dish per the directions and I think next time I will add less butter. It was a little too gooey and many middle pieces had to be eaten with s fork or spoon. Great in ice cream too! I can only think of one reason why you didn’t win… Maybe because these are bars and not quite cookies? Either way they are amazing! Thanks
I loved reading this post! first, I drooled all over myself after seeing the Carmelitas in the pictures! Anything with caramel should win in my opinion, but these?! These look beyond amazing!!! I say there is definitely “off” about your local kitchen store…I would take caramel over white chocolate anyday!!! I say enter them in your local fair this fall!!! You’ll win for sure! I’m running out tomorrow to get ingredients to make a double batch!!!! wuuuwhoooo!!!
Wow! Those look delicious!
I’ve got to make these soon! Seriously, these look ahmazing!!! Great pictures, too! (I found you on pinterest:)
Blessings,
Leslie
These look amazing! I will have to make them soon. I have had the oatmeal, white chocolate, and cranberry cookie. They are average and the recipe comes off the box of oatmeal. You should have won not only for taste but for originality. An oatmeal cookie is an oatmeal cookie, but these are devine. Glad I have a recipe for them now.
After a terrible week with my husband’s job, THESE had to be the dessert Friday night. I made the batter, but rather than “patting” and “crumbling”, it poured and had the consistency of cake batter. I checked and double checked what I had done, and decided to start again. I used only 1/4 cup melted butter and it definately “patted” and “crumbled” but the end result was crunchy. Does anyone have advice? HELP! I must get these right!!
JENNIFER G. I think I know what happened here. Your butter was way too hot of a melted liquid. What u should do is use a small non-stick pan for the amount of butter called for in this recipe. Set your heat at the LOWEST temp u have. Take hold of the pans handle & swirl the butter as u are wanting to SOFTEN it into a CREAMY SOFT butter. U do not want liquid or u will have a batter. U may want to turn the heat off & on so u can control the hotness of the pan & swirl the pan to help it completely soften. U should have no bits of solid butter left after its completely softened out. Pour this over your oatmeal mix & stir with a fork. Voila..crumbles.
U will not be able to achieve this in a microwave so don’t try nuking it. This is how to achieve a crumble/crust in any recipe.
What happens to butter melted into a liquid? The protein separates, floats to the top & u end up with clarified butter-broken butter.
Try this method & you will get what u want..a tummy yummy cookie bar.
I think next time I will double the oat mix but not the caramel, eliminate the extra half stick of butter but use 2 sticks only for the double oat mix & put in a 9″x 13″ pan. The amount of choc. chips is personal preference. They’re very sweet.
Hope this helps!
I put 3/4 Cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) in the microwave and it worked just fine for me. When I got it out of the microwave, I had a few very tiny pieces of butter and I just stirred it for a minute until all the butter was melted. Just an fyi. 🙂
I know this is an old post, but just in case someone else comes along with the same problem, I think you may have used 3/4 cup melted butter instead of 3/4 cup butter, melted. So, you take a stick and a half of butter and melt that and not measure the butter after its melted.
Can’t wait to make these! Do you think it matters if I use quick-cooking oats in place of the rolled oats? 🙂
Jennifer G–I wish I knew how to help them turn out right for you! Honestly, I’ve always followed the recipe exactly and haven’t had trouble. Good luck!
Jennifer–I don’t think you’ll have a problem if you use quick-cooking oats. The texture of the oatmeal layers will be a tiny bit different, but I think they’ll still be delicious!
YUM! Just found these on pinterest & can’t wait to spend some time here enjoying your blog! TFS!
I found you via Pinterest and made these tonight…they are so delicious I was left speechless! I have no idea how any cookie could have beaten your carmelitas because they are Amazing with a capital A!!!
I found these on Pinterest too, and loved them. Loved them too much! I will make them again,… and again,… and again!
thank you for pinterest for sending me to you, yum!!
I too just found these on Pinterest. I think I’m going to make them for a pot-luck on Wednesday because what I usually make, no one eats. I too loved your post. And incidentally, I’ve had those oatmeal cookies that won. They aren’t bad. But they aren’t as good as these look like they taste! There must have been something wrong with the taste testers.
these are ridiculously good. you shoulda won!!!!
Just made these today for a dinner at some friends tonight…can’t wait for everyone to taste them!!! yummmmmmmmmmy!!!! thanks for the recipe, found you on pinterest!!! ;0)
You should have won. These look amazing, and the white chocolate/cranberry cookies are the recipe on the Craisins bag.