Look, if you need something sweet and you need it fast, these No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Bars are the answer. I make them whenever I don’t feel like actually baking. It’s got a chewy oat bottom, a ridiculous amount of gooey caramel, and a hard chocolate top. You don’t even look at the oven. The fridge does all the heavy lifting. Fair warning, it’s really hard to eat just one.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is your shopping list. It’s nothing fancy, just normal pantry stuff. Don’t worry, it’s all easy to find.
For the Oat Base:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Gooey Caramel Layer:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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For the Rich Chocolate Topping:
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter)
Let’s Make These No-Bake Bars!
Step 1: Get the Base Ready
First up, grab a 9×13 pan and line it with parchment paper. Leave some extra hanging off the sides, it’ll help you pull them out later. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, just until it’s not grainy anymore. Turn off the heat, throw in the oats and salt, and stir it all together. Then just dump that into the pan and mash it down flat. I use the bottom of a glass.
Step 2: Make that Gooey Caramel
Wipe out the same pan, no need to get a new one dirty. Put all the caramel ingredients in, but not the vanilla yet. Set it to medium-low heat and babysit it, stirring the whole time. After 5 or 7 minutes, it’ll start bubbling and feel thicker. That’s your cue to pull it off the heat. Stir in the vanilla, then pour all that good stuff over the oat base.
Step 3: Time for the Chocolate Top
Let the pan sit for ten minutes or so. While you wait, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil. I just use the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each one, until it’s smooth. Then just pour it on top of the caramel and nudge it around with a spatula so it covers everything.
Step 4: Make It Pretty and Chill
Okay, the fun part. While the chocolate’s still wet, I throw on some flaky sea salt. It looks nice and the saltiness with the sweet is just perfect. If you’re feeling extra, go ahead and drizzle some melted white chocolate on there too. Now comes the worst part… the wait. Let it set in the fridge for a solid two hours. I’m serious, be patient.
Step 5: Cut ’em Up!
When it’s hard as a rock, use the parchment paper to lift the whole slab out. Here’s a tip for getting nice clean squares: run a big knife under hot water and dry it before you make a cut. It helps a ton. Cut them up and get ready, they won’t last long.
Why These Bars Are My Go-To Sweet Treat
Seriously, it’s a problem how many of these I can eat in one sitting. It’s just the best thing to make when you want that gooey caramel and chocolate combo but can’t be bothered with the oven. I always bring these No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Bars to friend’s houses and the pan is always empty on the way home. You gotta make ’em. Tell me how they turn out in the comments!
No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Bars
The best No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Bars. An easy recipe with a chewy oat base, gooey caramel, and rich chocolate topping. A perfect sweet treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
Instructions
- Get a 9x13 pan and put parchment paper in it. Let the paper hang over the sides a bit.
- In a pot melt the butter and brown sugar for the base. Then kill the heat and mix in the oats and salt.
- Dump that into the pan and mash it down flat.
- Use the same pot for the caramel. Add everything but the vanilla. Cook it and keep stirring for like 7 minutes til it's thick.
- Pull it off the stove mix in the vanilla then pour it on the oat base.
- Wait 10 minutes. Now melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil. The microwave is easiest.
- Pour the chocolate on top and spread it around. If you have flaky sea salt throw some on now.
- The whole thing goes in the fridge for a couple hours so it can get hard.
- Use the paper handles to lift it out and just cut it into bars.
Notes
For super clean cuts run your knife under hot water and dry it between slices.
These bars stay good in the fridge for a week in a sealed container.
You can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate on top too. Whatever you like.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 300Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 42mgSodium 59mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 2gSugar 25gProtein 2g