These pecan pie carmelita bars are like a next level cookie bar, they’re stuffed with pecans, chocolate, and caramel sauce and are super delicious.
Best of all, these bars are made in a loaf pan, so they’re a small batch, perfect for sharing with your special someone and minimizing the risk of eating the whole batch. Since today is Valentine’s Day, it’s only fitting that this recipe is for two, and is from my friend Christina’s new cookbook Simple and Sweet: Dessert for Two.
Christina blogs over at Dessert for Two, and you’ve already heard me rave about her first cookbook when I shared these 5 ingredient chewy brownie cookies. This is now her third cookbook, how impressive is that?! The cookbook is full of small batch desserts, accompanied with beautiful photography.
A fun fact is that we share a cookbook publisher, and as I was flipping through her cookbook, I came across a recipe for eggnog bread pudding in which she wrote the sweetest recipe intro crediting me. After my cookbook came out last year, she share one of the cookbook recipes (chocolate bread pudding) and turns out she liked the recipe so much she modified it for inclusion in her cookbook, how sweet is that?
The recipe intro states “Carmelitas may look unassuming, like they’re just another cookie bar. They are not. they are the best cookie bar. The one, the only.” And I have to agree. These are so good! It is recommended to chill them overnight for easy slicing, but they did not last that long in my house. They were gone in within minutes of being cool enough to cut! You’re going to love this recipe, along with all the others in the Simple and Sweet cookbook, which you should go buy today!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Gluten Free Sun Butter Cookie Bars
- Almond Butter Date Pepita Granola Bars Recipe
- Cranberry Walnut Crumb Dessert Bars
Pecan Pie Carmelita Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons quick oats you can pulse rolled oats in a food processor a few times for similar results
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter diced
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup store-bought caramel sauce I didn't have any caramel sauce so I made a homemade one, see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line a loaf pan with parchment paper (do not use foil). Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray. These bars are very sticky! Be sure to leave enough parchment poverhanging the pan to use as handles to get the bars out of the pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and work it through the dough using tow knives or a pastry blender. The dough will be similar to cookie dough.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Press half of the dough into the baking pan.
- Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chunks on top.
- Evenly drizzle the caramel sauce on top.
- Scatter the remaining dough on top. It won't completely comer and nuts.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling and the crust is starting to brown.
- Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Slice in half (or into smaller pieces - I sliced mine into 8 small bars) and serve. (they're even easier to slice if chilled first).
Emma says
Hi Phi! Thanks for posting such a luring recipe. Just curious- when you say loaf pan are you referring to a 9×3” bread loaf pan?
Sweetphi says
Hi Emma, yes I am referring to a 9 x 5 bread loaf pan 🙂
Jess says
Wow, these look amazing! Truly next level bars ❤️
Sweetphi says
They’re so good, and I love that they make a small batch 🙂
Shawnna Griffin says
Hey girl- Yummy! This is right up my alley!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much girl! I’m so glad you like them! I love when recipes are portioned a little smaller (especially sweets, so i’m not as tempted to eat all of them lol)
Little Cooking Tips says
These are perfect for a quick bite in the morning if you’re in a hurry to get to the office! You can also easily get some with you for a snack later on! Thanx so much for the fantastic recipe Phi! xoxoxo
PS Have you ever tried these with a pinch of cinnamon?
Sweetphi says
You know, I didn’t even think of having these for breakfast, that is genius though – there are oats in them after all 😉 I also think a pinch of cinnamon would be wonderful in these bars 🙂
Dee says
Hi Phi. Looking forward to making these. I don’t want to seem to picky but item #8: It won’t completely comer and nuts – I assume you mean that the top won’t be completely covered and to add the nuts.
Sweetphi says
I think you’d absolutely love these bars, they’re delish. And omg you do not seem picky, thank you for pointing out the typo, I am definitely going to fix that right this second (it was really early in the morning when I was finishing this up and clearly I wasn’t awake enough lol). Thanks again!
DessertForTwo says
ahhhhh Phi!! You are so sweet! I’m so glad this blogging and cookbook writing world brought us together! You are a joy in my life, and I’m so grateful for you!
Now go eat both servings, because you’re eating for two now! <3
Love youuuuuu,
'tina
Sweetphi says
Awwwwwww, thank you so much for coming over to comment, so quickly too, you’re just the best. Congrats on such a wonderful third (omg!) cookbook!!!!
Lots of love right back at you,
phi