Decadent Sweet Chewy Turtle Bars (Print Version)

Chewy oat bars with melted chocolate, caramel swirls, and toasted pecans under a buttery golden crumb topping.

# 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 Make It:

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, then remove from oven.
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 - Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over warm crust, then layer chopped pecans on top.
07 - Pour warm caramel sauce evenly over chocolate and pecan layer.
08 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over 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 wire rack. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like a candy shop but come together with basic ingredients you probably already have.
  • The crumb topping gets crispy on top and stays tender underneath, giving you two textures in one bite.
  • You can make them ahead and they actually get better after a day in the fridge.
02 -
  • Do not skip the cooling time, warm bars will fall apart and the caramel needs to set or you'll have a delicious mess.
  • If your caramel is too thick to pour, add an extra tablespoon of cream and rewarm it gently.
  • Press the crust down firmly with the back of a measuring cup so it bakes evenly and holds together.
03 -
  • Line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edges so you can lift the whole block out and cut clean squares on a cutting board.
  • Use a hot, dry knife to cut the bars, wiping it clean between each slice to avoid dragging caramel through the layers.
  • If you make your own caramel, let it cool for a few minutes before pouring so it doesn't melt all the chocolate chips instantly.
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