Decadent Sweet and Chewy Turtle Bars (Printable View)

Caramel and chocolate layers with pecans in a buttery oat crumb topping

# Ingredient List:

→ 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:

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.
03 - Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of prepared pan to form crust.
04 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden.
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 - Remove crust from oven. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over warm crust, then sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
07 - Pour warm caramel sauce evenly over chocolate and pecans.
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 squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crumb topping turns wonderfully crisp on top while staying chewy underneath, giving you two textures in one bite.
  • You can use store bought caramel and save yourself the stress, or make your own if you are feeling brave.
  • They slice cleanly once cooled, so you get neat squares that look bakery worthy without any fuss.
  • The combination of chocolate, caramel, and toasted pecans tastes like the candy but feels more substantial and homemade.
02 -
  • Do not skip the par baking step for the crust, or the bottom will stay soft and the bars will fall apart when you cut them.
  • Let the caramel cool for a minute or two before pouring it on, because if it is too hot it will melt the chocolate completely instead of leaving gooey chips.
  • Use parchment paper with overhang so you can lift the whole slab out of the pan before slicing, which makes cutting much easier and cleaner.
  • If the bars seem too soft after cooling, pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up the caramel and chocolate layers.
03 -
  • Line your pan with parchment in both directions so you can lift the bars out in one piece, then slice them on a cutting board instead of in the pan.
  • Use a bench scraper or a large chef knife to cut the bars, and run it under hot water between cuts to keep the caramel from dragging.
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick to pour, add an extra tablespoon of cream and warm it gently until it loosens up.
  • Let the bars sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving if they have been in the fridge, so the caramel softens and the flavors open up.
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