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Tiramisu truffles are a wonderful blend of tiramisu flavors (think Italian biscuits, espresso and chocolate) in a delicious bite. The no bake recipe only uses six ingredients!

The no bake trend is alive and well my friends. I have been on a kick for quite some time and my latest creation is tiramisu truffles. They are everything you expect from the Italian dessert wrapped up into a bite-sized truffle.

The idea came from a couple different places. First up, the countless Tasty videos my sister tags me in, one of which included tiramisu bites. If a day goes by she doesn't tag me in a Tasty video (or any food-related Instagram) then something is off. That sentence right there just proves we are related.

The second place was Tulum, Mexico. I've been dreaming about tiramisu ever since I had the decadent and incredibly authentic dessert at Posada Margherita. So I put the two together and made my tiramisu truffles.

While doing my research for the recipe I came across a lot of recipes, but none of them seemed that authentic (they were using cream cheese, vanilla wafers and white chocolate). I wanted my truffles to be as true to the Italian dessert as possible, all while being a bite-sized treat. So I took the ingredients-lady fingers, sugar, mascarpone cheese, espresso and chocolate-and got to work.

I guess in theory making no-bake truffles is kind of like mushing all the ingredients together and praying it tastes good. To my delight (and yours) it does taste delicious.

The key is to make sure the lady fingers absorb the flavors, like they do in tiramisu. In this recipe it's easier for them to do so because the spongelike biscuits are crushed in a food processor then mixed with mascarpone and espresso.

Another key to success in this tiramisu truffle recipe is letting the mixture sit in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour (honestly, you can leave it in there overnight, just make sure it is soft enough to scoop when you take it out of the fridge). During this time, all the flavors get to know each other and really bring out the true flavors of tiramisu.

Once that has taken place, you roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, place them in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden up, and dip them in chocolate. That shell protects the tiramisu mixture inside and seals in the flavor.

Once bitten into, well, let's just say you're in for a treat.

Tools to make tiramisu truffles:

No Bake Tiramisu Truffles

If you like my tiramisu truffles recipe, try these no bake desserts...

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No-Bake Tiramisu Truffles - If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen

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Tiramisu truffles are a wonderful blend of tiramisu flavors (think Italian biscuits, espresso and chocolate) in a delicious bite. The no bake recipe only uses six ingredients! The no bake trend is alive and well my friends. I have been on a kick for quite some time and my latest creation is tiramisu truffles.

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These Tiramisu Cupcakes are the jam! They are like little individual tiramisu cakes. They're drizzled with an espresso Kahlua mixture, filled with tiramisu filling and topped with a light Kahlua mascarpone buttercream. It's my new favorite, for sure!

I hope you had a great new years weekend! I spent it with my parents and some friends I've known since elementary and middle school. It was so nice. There was certainly lots of football watching given all the bowl games. And as we are getting into NFL playoff season (yay Panthers!), I'm pretty sure I'll be making these Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Footballs again soon. They are perfect for football watching. 🙂

Though I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions because I think you can and should make a change whenever you see the need, I have spent some time this past week reflecting over the past year and thinking about the coming year over. There have been some truly amazing things happening that I am so excited and thankful for. If you've followed our struggle with starting a family, you know that's one thing that's not been terribly easy. I feel like lately I've had a tendency to focus on that one thing that isn't right and not fully appreciate all the things that are so good.

Since realizing that I've decided to change my focus. I'm reminded that I have to let go of the things I can't control and let God. It's such a freeing feeling. And I am SO PUMPED for 2016 and all that God has in store for us. I don't know what it'll be but I think it could just be our best year yet. 🙂

And kicking it off with these cupcakes is definitely an awesome way to get started. They are setting the tone with how yummy they are. Irresistible really. If you love tiramisu, these cupcakes are your new favorite dessert. I could seriously just sit down with a spoon and a bowl of tiramisu filling and be a happy camper. It's the bomb.com (yes, I still live in the 90s in my head).

I started off with a new vanilla cupcake. Perhaps you are familiar with these vanilla cupcakes? Well, this is a new recipe. It's a little more traditional and uses the creaming method. They are equally as awesome but are a lighter cupcake.

Once they are baked and cooled, cut out the center. It's a shame to have to do it, but the filling is worth it. If you end up a little left over filling, I suggest tossing the cupcake cores into a bowl with the filling and devouring it. 🙂

I'm a big fan of combining espresso and Kahlua in my tiramisu, but if you prefer a non-alcoholic version you can definitely replace the Kahlua with more espresso. Drizzle the espresso over the hole in the cupcake. The more the merrier in my opinion.

MY OTHER RECIPES

Fill that hole with the tiramisu filling, then pipe on the buttercream. The buttercream uses a mix of butter and mascarpone cheese, which is also in the tiramisu filling. It's got such a wonderful flavor and isn't too sweet. The method is a little different than my usual buttercream. You might be temped to add the mascarpone cheese at the same time you add the butter, but I really don't advise it. Mascarpone cheese seems to get softer the more you beat it and then it doesn't firm up as well when refrigerated again. Because of that, I suggest carefully folding it in just before the final bit of powdered sugar is added.

I've already said it, but I'll say it again. These cupcakes rock. There's nothing better than homemade tiramisu, and homemade tiramisu cupcakes are easy just as awesome. Let's both start our new year out right and enjoy these babies together. What do you say? 🙂

Tiramisu Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Directions:

Enjoy!

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These Tiramisu Cupcakes are the jam! They are like little individual tiramisu cakes. They're drizzled with an espresso Kahlua mixture, filled with tiramisu filling and topped with a light Kahlua mascarpone buttercream. It's my new favorite, for sure! I hope you had a great new years weekend!

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The ultimate recipe for authentic tiramisu, an Italian dessert made of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a rich, velvety mascarpone cream.
What is Tiramisu

It's easy to tell if you've made a tiramisu just right. Each bite will have rich yet airy yellowish cream, a touch of alcohol, and dreamily soft, but not mushy, coffee-flavored ladyfingers. It should also have a subtle sweetness with just the right bitterness from the coffee and cocoa powder.

Although I like to go on and on about my stories in some of my posts, today I'm going to concentrate solely on the dessert because I have plenty to share with you about it.

Eggs

In most traditional tiramisu recipes, you'll find egg yolks. This is what gives the filling its yellowish color, decadent taste, and thick texture. While some recipes, such as the most classic ones, use raw eggs, it's always best to cook them due to the risk of salmonella, so that's what this recipe calls for.

Cheese Used for Tiramisu

Mascarpone, cream cheese, or both? For the best results, use only mascarpone. Cream cheese has a sourer taste than the sweet mascarpone. Some recipes combine these two, which does give a more complex flavor, but for the richest (and, in my opinion, best) taste, I use mascarpone only.

Egg Whites or Heavy Cream?

The majority of recipes use one of these two. Both must be whipped in order to make a light filling, then folded into the egg yolks and mascarpone. However, each will contribute a different flavor. Egg whites will make the batter more airy, while heavy cream will add richness. One thing to consider is that egg whites are usually used raw.

In today's recipe, I use heavy cream. Not only do I choose it because - let's be honest - heavy cream and I are best friends, but I prefer my desserts to be as rich as possible.

In order to use egg whites instead of heavy cream, simply omit the cream and use 3 egg whites instead. Whisk them using an electric mixture until stiff peaks form, then fold them into the mascarpone-egg yolk mixture. Since the eggs are used raw, be sure to use the freshest eggs possible with intact shells.

Type of Alcohol in Tiramisu

Marsala is a sweet red wine traditionally used for tiramisu, and my favorite option. What can be used instead of Marsala? If you're looking for a substitution, then dark rum is my favorite, but you can also use brandy, coffee liquor or almond liquor.

How to Make Tiramisu

1. Prepare the coffee and set aside to cool.

2. Make a sabayon or zabaione, which is a custard made from egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine (in our case, Marsala). Cook these 3 ingredients together over a bain marie - a pot of boiling water turned to low heat and over which you cook ingredients in a heatproof bowl. This method helps to cook the eggs slowly and in a way that they won't scramble. You'll need to constantly whisk the mixture while it's on the bain marie, either by hand or with an electric mixer (easier), until the mixture is finger hot, has doubled in volume, and has a thick, foamy texture. Once done, remove from the heat and let it cool slightly (about 15 minutes).

3. Using an electric mixer, whisk the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

4. Add mascarpone to the cooled egg yolk mixture and whisk by hand until smooth. Fold in the cream in 2 additions.

5. Assemble the dessert. Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee syrup (do this quickly, less than a second) and place in the pan in a single layer. Add half of the mascarpone cream and smooth the top. Repeat with a second layer.

More Tiramisu Recipes:

1 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee (made of 1 cup hot water mixed with 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules or espresso powder)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons coffee or almond liquor, Marsala, dark rum, or brandy

3 egg yolks

⅓ cup (70 g/2.5 oz.) granulated sugar

2-3 tablespoons Marsala wine, dark rum, or brandy

¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream

1 and ½ cups (340 g/12 oz.) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

about 200g/7 oz (20-24 units) ladyfingers or Savoiardi biscuits (you'll need less if making individual glasses)

Sifted cocoa powder or grated chocolate

1. For the coffee syrup: In a small bowl, combine hot coffee, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1-2 tablespoons alcohol. Mix until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

2. For the filling: Place egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala in a medium heatproof bowl and set over a bain marie (i.e. place the heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water on a low heat; the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk constantly using a whisk, or preferably a hand mixer, until the mixture doubles in volume, is hot to the touch, and has a thick, foamy consistency (around 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixer bowl, whisk heavy cream using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Once egg yolk mixture has cooled, add the mascarpone and whisk until smooth. Then gently fold in the whipped cream in 2 additions until smooth.

3. Assemble tiramisu: Dip ladyfingers very quickly (less than a second) into the coffee syrup and line them in one layer in an 8-inch baking dish. If necessary, break a few ladyfingers to fit them in the dish. Spoon half of the filling over the ladyfingers and smooth the top. Repeat with a second layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers, then with the rest of the cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days. I don't suggest freezing tiramisu since it will ruin its texture. Right before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder or grated chocolate. Serve cold.

4. For individual glasses: Spoon a dollop of the mascarpone cream mixture into the bottom of the glass. Break each ladyfinger into 4 pieces, soak in the coffee and place on top of the cream. You don't have to use all 4 pieces at once; it depends on the size of the glass. Repeat with layering filling and ladyfingers, creating 2-3 layers in total. The amount of ladyfingers you use is up to you. For each ladyfinger, add about 2-3 heaping tablespoons of cream. It doesn't have to be exact - if you like more cream, go ahead and add more. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days. Right before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder. Serve cold.

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The Best Classic Tiramisu Recipe - Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

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The ultimate recipe for authentic tiramisu, an Italian dessert made of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a rich, velvety mascarpone cream. It's easy to tell if you've made a tiramisu just right. Each bite will have rich yet airy yellowish cream, a touch of alcohol, and dreamily soft, but not mushy, coffee-flavored ladyfingers.

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes....because cheesecake is better with chocolate chip cookies and PHILADELPHIA cream cheese. The end.

Does anyone else have this problem?

You realize the holidays are coming and you have lots of people make treats for as gifts. You make a list:

Mother-in-law: fudge

Sister-in-law: something lemon

Husband: toffee bark

Jordan: sugar cookies

Then you think, oh, and I need a dessert (or two) for Christmas Eve night. And one for Christmas, for good measure.

And then you make it all and realize that holy heck, that's a lot of dessert.

Is that just me?

My problem with too much dessert is why mini cheesecakes are perfect for me. The recipe makes 12 perfectly sized, individual portions and if they don't get eaten they can be frozen for future use. #winning

I had the same problem at Thanksgiving that I'm having for Christmas. Here was the dessert list for our Thanksgiving celebration: Mom's Pecan Pie, Crumb Apple Pie, Gingerbread Cake Roll, and these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes. For 8 people.

Yeah, you can safely assume we like our desserts. 🙂

Oh, and guess what? Mel ate one of these cheesecakes! And he said it's the best cheesecake ever! And he actually ate a WHOLE one not just one bite!

#MelAteIt #Mel5StarRecipe <-those are hashtags I'm totally gonna use, BTW.

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes are made with PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, as usual. I always use the original silver package because it's the best.

PHILADELPHIA uses locally sourced milk and real wholesome cream in their cream cheese and it's farm to their fridge in just six days. There are no preservatives in the original cream cheese, which is another reason I love it so much.

Another thing I love so much about these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes? The crust. It's a chocolate chip cookie crust!

You can use your favorite crunchy chocolate chip cookie to make the crust. The cookies are crushed in a plastic bag or in the food processor and then mixed with butter and pressed in the bottom of a cupcake pan.

Note: I always use cupcake liners when I make mini cheesecakes. It makes them much easier to remove from the pan.

On top of the cookie crust goes the chocolate chip cheesecake mixture. One trick to make sure your cheesecake comes out perfect every time? Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature. Take the cream cheese, the sour cream, and the egg out of the refrigerator ahead of time. Cold ingredients = lumps. You don't want lumps in your cheesecake!

I've also found that using a stand mixer can get out any lumps that form. You can use either a stand or a hand mixer to make these (I've used both in the past) but I just think a stand mixer does a better job.

I added a healthy dose of mini chocolate chips to my cheesecake. I like using mini chips because the cheesecakes are small and regular sized chocolate chips would be too clumpy. Mini ones are perfect, and there are a couple of brands of them available at your grocery store.

Once they're baked and cooled, you need to chill these for several hours or overnight. That allows the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes to set. I actually made these 3 days before I served them, so you know they last!

For a fun serving suggestion, try drizzling on some melted chocolate and some crushed cookies on these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes.

I mean, more of both of those is not a bad thing, right?

And let me remind you: Mel ate one. Two actually. He ate another one the next day. Someone put a star on the calendar... 😉

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

Directions:
Mini Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecakes Mini Fruit Tart Cheesecakes Key Lime Cheesecake
Sweets from friends:
Blueberry Cheesecake by Gimme Some Oven
Creamy Lemon Squares by Mom on Timeout
Macadamia Cookie Pizza by Shugary Sweets
This post has been sponsored by PHILADELPHIA. I've worked with them all year as a brand ambassador because I absolutely love and stand by their product. All opinions are 100% my own.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes - Crazy for Crust

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecakes....because cheesecake is better with chocolate chip cookies and PHILADELPHIA cream cheese. The end. Does anyone else have this problem? You realize the holidays are coming and you have lots of people make treats for as gifts.

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Caramel Swirled Cheesecake layer on top of Pillsbury's Gluten Free Cookie Dough. One amazing treat!

Author: Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet

1. Line a square 8" baking pan with aluminum foil.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Press the cookie dough onto the bottom of the pan.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with an electric mixer for 20 seconds.

5. Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth.

6. Pour over cookie dough layer.

7. Swirl the caramel sauce over the cheesecake layer.

8. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. It should still be a little wiggly in the center.

9. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

10. Cut into squares and serve.

Caramel Apple Dip Caramel Apple Cheesecake Microwave Caramel Sauce Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

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Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe Card - Crunchy Creamy Sweet

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PIN THIS RECIPE TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD! SHARE ON FACEBOOK ->> Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for latest recipe updates! Print Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 28 mins Total Time 38 mins Caramel Swirled Cheesecake layer on top of Pillsbury's Gluten Free Cookie Dough.

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This post may contain affiliate links. See my Full Disclosure for further details.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites, one of my favorite guilty pleasures, are sinful morsels that melt in your mouth and are ready in far less time than it takes to bake them.

And today, there is reason to celebrate with 18 of them.
If you really know my husband, you know that he very well might be the cheapest person alive. I'm talking extreme. For example, he squeegees all the water off his body after showers to prolong the use a single towel, thereby reducing the amount of money used to wash and dry additional towels. He has exact routes planned out of our neighborhood, minimizing the number of stops and dips that impact our car's brakes and suspension. He once ate an unpackaged oatmeal cream pie stuck to the inside of a box because it reduced the cost of each pie from 11 cents to ten cents (yes, he ended up with food poisoning and hasn't eaten one since - something he claims to have saved him even more in the long run). And have you ever met anyone who wants to use a public restroom? Only if their justification is saving on the water bill.
His "frugality" extends to the only cell phones he'll use - you know, the kind that still flip or slide. And during the past three years, we all knew we had 12 characters to get a messages across to him when we texted him, as he was too cheap to open the message and read the entire thing. When he found out our carrier was charging him anyway for just getting the text, he immediately called and turned off texting.
Thanks to Walmart's Family Mobile plan and the LG L90, he's gotten "smart" and entered the 21st century. The Walmart Family Mobile plan offers unlimited texting, talk, and 500mb of 4G LTE data for less than he was paying for his not-so-smart slider with not-so-much data (zero to be exact). For only $29.88 a month, for the first line and $99.82 for the phone, I now have the peace of mind of knowing I won't have to text him 14 times to get him to read one sentence. And with all the savings, he's helped reduce the wet-towel smell in our bathroom and even sometimes takes us on the scenic route on date night.
Be sure to check out Walmart's Family Mobile service and the LG L90, the perfect combination to nudge anyone needing an economic excuse to modernize. And use it or any other reason to indulge in these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites. Between the savings celebration and wickedly delicious taste, everyone in our household was left satisfied.
Enjoy!
XOXO San

My favorite kitchen items I used to make these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites.

Sheet Pan: I love using a larger sheet pan while cooking because I am feeding my family of seven. I love aluminium for when I do sheet pan meals. I would start with this 13 by 18 half sheet pan. I love these pans so much that I have 9!

Kitchen Aid Mixer: I love my Kitchenaid mixer and use it almost daily. For cookies, breads, sauces, frostings and dough - I find many recipes that I can use my Kitchen Aid to reduce prep time. I have two that I couldn't live without.

OR

Hand Mixer: I love these for small batches or quick and easy recipes that don't require a lot of ingredients. I love that you can have so many color options now, I love personally love teal.

Mixing Bowls: I love having a variety of sizes of mixing bowls. From small to large, I find that having at least 3 bowls of different sizes has been an essential in my kitchen. I prefer Pyrex because of the durability.

Want to see how easy these are check this video out showing the step by step directions.
Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/aafid or your local Walmart for current pricing.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Ingredients

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup butter, melted

6 tablespoons brown sugar

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1-2 tablespoons milk

1 cup dark melting chocolate

Directions

In a medium-sized bowl, shift together brown sugar, sugar, flour, and cornstarch. Beat in melted butter and vanilla extract until it starts to come together, the dough will resemble coarse crumbs.

Stir in mini chocolate chips.

Mix until dough slightly sticks together, but it will still look crumbly.

Add in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is easier to work with and you get the consistency you want.

Scoop a heaping tablespoon, I actually use a cookie dough scooper, makes the job easy! Pack in the dough then remove from the scooper or tablespoon and place on prepared pan, you can also roll them into balls, but I find sometimes the balls fall apart easily if I press to hard. Place pan in the refrigerator for the bites to chill, approximately 10 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, melt chocolate according to package directions. I heat in 30 second intervals, until chocolate is completely melted.

Decorate with the chocolate how you could like, I like to dip the tops in, then sprinkle with mini-colored chocolate chips. The kids like a light drizzle which is easy to do by placing the melted chocolate in a

Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, topped off with a few sprinkles. Although my daughter, Jersey loves them plain.

Once the bites are drizzled, covered or dipped in chocolate and finished off with sprinkles allow chocolate to sit and harden.

Now they are ready to enjoy!

To store the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes
https://www.dashofsanity.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-bites/
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This post may contain affiliate links. See my Full Disclosure for further details. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites, one of my favorite guilty pleasures, are sinful morsels that melt in your mouth and are ready in far less time than it takes to bake them.

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Learn how to make these delicious cookies and mousse chocolate chip cookie shot glasses! Impress your guests with this delicious dessert or make them as a special birthday treat. Everyone is sure to love the creamy mousse inside this crispy cookie shot glass! Here's everything you need to make these tasty chocolate chip cookie shooters.

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These bars are like the bubblegum with the squishy, squirty center that oozes when you chomp down.

Except it's rich, creamy, buttery caramel that squirts in your mouth when you bite down here.

They're like the softest oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, with a streusel-crumble topping, and more melted caramel than you have napkins for, and that's beautiful.

I've been wanting to (re)make these bars for years, and I'm so glad I did.

MY OTHER RECIPES

They're a no-mixer, layered bar and are an adaptation of my early 2012 Caramel and Chocolate Gooey Bars.

In this version I tinkered with the flour and oat ratio, increasing the flour and decreasing the oats slightly, so the bars hold together better.

The crust and topping are made with the same mixture. It's a buttery, brown sugar, vanilla-infused oatmeal and flour mixture.

Half is pressed into the pan and baked for 10 minutes as the crust, and the other half of the big buttery crumbs are crumbled over the top. Below, is after 10 minutes of baking.

The filling is just caramels and heavy cream melted together. I melted in the micro, but use the stovetop if you prefer. I used Werther's Baking Caramels. I love these caramels because the wax paper just slides right off making unwrapping 30+ caramels a quick and easy job, rather than caramels with pesky cellophane, which is a huge strugglefest.

I haven't tried using jarred caramel sauce, but I have a feeling a thick, higher quality jarred sauce would be fine. If anyone tries Trader Joe's Salted Caramel Sauce, let me know how it goes. That would be my first choice if I wasn't melted caramels with cream.

After baking the crust for 10 minutes, sprinkle with chocolate, drizzle with caramel sauce, and crumble the reserved oatmeal-brown sugar mixture over the top.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the center is bubbly and the edges are just set and lightly browned.

It's very important to allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. It can up to take 4 hours, or overnight, at room temp. You can speed it along by placing pan in the fridge, but I made them in the evening, cooled overnight, and they were set by the next morning. However 'set' is a relative term. You can see they're still plenty drippy and gooey.

If you slice the bars before they've cooled completely, you'll have a literal hot mess with molten caramel and melted chocolate all over. They'll taste fine (as long as you don't burn your mouth on hot caramel), but you'll have no chance for clean cuts or pretty bars that stay intact.

Plus, I think bars like this taste better the next day after the flavors have married. The caramel and chocolate also has a chance to soak into all the nooks and crannies of the oats.

Even after the bars are fully cooled, they're soft, gooey, messy, and full of intense caramel flavor. The butter and brown sugar in the crust-topping mixture caramelize while baking, adding even more caramel flavor.

If you're easily bothered by desserts that are 'too sweet or too rich', I wouldn't recommend these because they're both. However, adding a pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness. I included places in the recipe where you can add salt, to the crust-topping mixture, and/or to the caramel sauce, creating salted caramel sauce.

The semi-sweet chocolate is a great balance to the sweet caramel and chocolate is always welcome in any dessert I'm having.

The oats provide a light amount of texture and chewiness to the otherwise buttery-soft bars, just oozing with caramel everywhere. They aren't called carmelitas for nothing.

Carmelitas

Carmelitas are a no-mixer, layered bar, and the crust and topping are made with the same buttery, brown sugar, vanilla-infused oatmeal and flour mixture. In the middle there's chocolate and caramel sauce. They're like the softest oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, with a streusel-crumble topping, and more melted caramel than you have napkins for. The oats provide a light amount of texture and chewiness to the otherwise buttery-soft bars, just oozing with juicy caramel everywhere. You can add salt, to taste, to the caramel sauce for salted carmelitas. I melted caramels with heavy cream (in the micro, use stovetop if you prefer), and while I haven't tried using a jarred sauce like Trader Joe's Salted Caramel, I think you'd be okay; I'd use 1 1/2 jars. You must let these bars set up for at least 4 hours before slicing, but overnight is strongly recommended.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, melted (1 1/2 stick; I use unsalted butter but salted may be used)
3/ 4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-rolled old fashioned oats (not instant or quick cook)
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
35 caramel squares, unwrapped (I used Werther's Originals Baking Caramels which are slightly bigger than cellophane-wrapped caramels; if using those, I recommend using a couple more)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste, if you prefer salted caramel sauce
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (I used a combo)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Lining your pan is highly recommended for ease of cleanup due to the stickiness of the caramel; set pan aside.

2. In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 90 seconds.

3. Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

4. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, optional pinch salt, and stir until combined. Mixture will be quite thick.

5. Add half of the mixture to the prepared pan (just eyeball it), and smooth it with spatula or the back of a spoon, to create an even, smooth, flat layer; set remainder aside.

6. Bake for 10 minutes. While it bakes, make the caramel sauce.

7. In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine the caramels, cream, and heat on high power in 60-second bursts to melt caramels, stirring after each burst. It will likely take about 4 to 5 minutes total to melt; heat until mixture can be stirred smooth. Alternatively, combine caramels and cream in a medium saucepan, and heat over medium-low heat to melt, stirring nearly continuously, until mixture can be stirred smooth.

8. Optionally stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste, for salted caramel sauce; set sauce aside.

9. After 10 minutes, remove pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle with the chocolate.

10. Slowly and evenly pour caramel sauce over the chocolate.

11. Evenly crumble reserved oatmeal-brown sugar mixture over the top.

12. Return pan to oven and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes (I baked 16 1/2), or until edges are lightly browned and center is bubbling slightly.

13. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving, giving the molten caramel time to firm up. This can take up to 4 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. You can speed it up by placing pan in fridge with a sheet of foil over the top to prevent fridge smells. If you don't wait for bars to cool completely, they'll be a literal hot mess. They'll taste fine (don't burn yourself), but they won't slice neatly with clean cuts. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Recipe adapted from my Caramel and Chocolate Gooey Bars

Related Recipes

Many blogging friends have made carmelita recipes. Check out Jaclyn's Salted Carmelitas, Alyssa's Carmelitas, Lulu The Baker's Carmelistas, Michelle's Oatmeal Carmelita Bars, Tracey's Salted Carmelita Bars, and Shelly's Carmelita Cookies

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These bars are like the bubblegum with the squishy, squirty center that oozes when you chomp down. Except it's rich, creamy, buttery caramel that squirts in your mouth when you bite down here. They're like the softest oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, with a streusel-crumble topping, and more melted caramel than you have napkins for, and ...