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.
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. š
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? š
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.
Can these be made as cookies or do they need to be baked in a pan like brownies?
Hi Dianne. Because of the different layers, these have to be baked in a pan like brownies. You could probably figure out how to make cookies with all the same components (oatmeal cookie, caramel, and chocolate), but you’d have to use a completely different recipe to start with. But they’re so good as is!
Your carmelitas look delicious! I would love to eat one right now! š Just have to say that your post made me laugh too! I could just see the scenario in my mind – asking about the results…too funny! That must’ve been a painfully awkward moment that you couldn’t really believe you’re were actually going thru š Thanks for the post!
I’ve had these and couldn’t get enough! I went through two people to finally get the recipe and even though I didn’t taste the “winning” cookie, these win over ANY dessert in my book! They are way too delicious. Thank’s amazing baker!
Made these last night and they were fabulous! I used 1/2 and 1/2 in place of the heavy cream. OMG these were so good. My husband crumbled it over ice cream, the kids just ate it as is and today out of the refrigerator is my favorite way to eat them. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
White chocolate chips & cranberries. That’s so run of the mill. I can’t wait to try out this recipe.
This sounds soooooo good!! Can’t wait to try it!! Are the caramels the little candies on clear wrapping or should I buy something else??
Yep, just the kraft caramel cubes wrapped in clear plastic. They take forever to unwrap!
Oatmeal, cranberry, white chocolate cookie? They should be ashamed! Everybody knows coconut trumps all! lol I bet these are fantastic and I may have to find a way to make that 9×13, but better have them to give away ‘cuz I would have it finished with a fork by midnight!
You were robbed! I say demand a vote recount. Thank you for sharing the recipe for this delicious treat.
I must be the only person alive who would undoubtedly vote for the white chocolate/cranberry. I don’t like chocolate and I REALLY don’t like caramel. How many people were on the voting panel, maybe you got one freak who hates chocolate…though, I gotta admit, I’d never volunteer to judge a baking contest with my weird dessert pickiness.
I’ve been making this since I was a tupperware dealer in 1976. They are amazing……I’m not sure why they didn’t take first place. Shame on them!