Sweet and Chewy Turtle Bars (Printable Version)

Buttery bars with chocolate, pecans, and caramel crowned by a golden oat crumble for irresistible chewy bites.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 It:

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 the bottom of prepared pan to form crust base.
04 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
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 to 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The crumbly oat topping gets crispy in spots and chewy where the caramel soaks through.
  • You can use store bought caramel sauce and still get bakery level results.
  • Each square has that perfect turtle candy combo of chocolate, caramel, and toasted pecans.
  • They hold up beautifully in a container, so you can make them a day ahead without worry.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving that cup of crumb mixture, without it the topping won't have enough texture.
  • Press the crust firmly into the pan or it will crumble apart when you cut the bars.
  • Let the bars cool completely before slicing, warm caramel will ooze everywhere and ruin clean edges.
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick, add an extra tablespoon of cream to make it pourable.
03 -
  • Press the crust down with the flat bottom of a measuring cup to get an even, compact layer that won't fall apart.
  • If the caramel starts to harden before you pour it, warm it gently on the stove for a few seconds.
  • Let the bars sit overnight if you can, the flavors meld together and the texture becomes even chewier.
  • Cut with a sharp knife wiped clean between each slice for bakery perfect edges.
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