Easy and delicious oat bars, layered with chocolate and creamy date caramel. Vegan, but you'd never guess it. And best of all, it's just 9 ingredients. If you’ve never tried carmelitas before, now’s your chance! Pairs well with vanilla ice cream, just saying.
Mix Cookie Base and Topping: In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Pour in coconut oil and brown rice syrup. Stir until well mixed. Measure out ¾ cup of the dough and set aside for topping.
Bake base: Transfer the remaining dough into 1 (8 x 8-inch) parchment-lined baking pan. Use your fingertips to pack down down into a firm, even layer. Bake until the top turns golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Make date caramel: Meanwhile, to a food processor, add dates and ¼ cup of the water. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel (to prevent water from leaking out the sides), and process until a thick paste forms. Add the remaining ¼ cup water, vanilla, and salt. Process until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add chocolate caramel filling: Set aside ⅓ cup (50 g) of the chocolate for drizzling later. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate over the base, then spoon in the date caramel.
Add topping and bake: Use your fingers to squeeze together small clumps of the reserved ¾ cup dough, and spread them over the date caramel until the surface is mostly covered. Bake until the topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Drizzle and serve: Meanwhile, melt the reserved ⅓ cup (50 g) chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Drizzle the chocolate over the bars. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool fully before slicing into bars. Serve with vanilla ice cream if you'd like!
Notes
Yield: These bars are quite decadent, so we recommend cutting these bars into 12 pieces, but do what works best for you.