Sweet and Chewy Turtle Bars (Printer-friendly)

Buttery bars with toasted oats, pecans, caramel swirls, and chocolate pools in every bite.

# Required Ingredients:

→ 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 Steps:

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.
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 16 squares.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Every layer has a job: buttery crust, molten caramel, crunchy pecans, and pockets of melted chocolate that surprise you in every square.
  • You get that fancy turtle candy experience without tempering chocolate or wrapping individual pieces, just slice and serve.
  • The oat topping bakes into golden nubbins that add texture and keep the bars from being too sweet.
  • They hold up beautifully in a lunchbox or on a dessert table, no fork required.
02 -
  • Do not skip the partial bake on the crust, it needs that head start to stay firm under the weight of the caramel and chocolate.
  • Use parchment paper with an overhang so you can lift the entire block out of the pan before slicing, it makes clean cuts so much easier.
  • Let the bars cool completely or the caramel will ooze everywhere when you try to cut them, patience is hard but worth it.
  • If your caramel is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of cream and rewarm it gently until it pours smoothly.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes before chopping them, the oils wake up and the flavor gets richer.
  • Line your pan with parchment and leave an overhang on two sides so you can lift the whole block out and slice it on a cutting board instead of in the pan.
  • Use a hot, dry knife to cut the bars, wipe it clean between each slice for the neatest edges.
  • If the caramel hardens too much while you are working, pop it back on the stove for a few seconds to loosen it up again.
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