Candy-Covered Caramel Bars

Name: Candy-Covered Caramel Bars
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 24 serving(s)
Ingredients: Cooking spray; 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 c. regular or quick oats; 1 c. packed brown sugar; 1 tsp. baking powder; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1 3/4 sticks cold salted butter, cut into pieces; 2 13.5-ounce cans dulce de leche; About 3 cups chocolate candies, chopped if large (such as M&M's, Twix, Snickers and Milky Way)

Gooey caramel meets chunks of chocolate candy in this decadent Halloween dessert.

By Ree DrummondPublished: Sep 17, 2020

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candy covered caramel bars halloween dessert

Ryan Liebe

Yields:

24 serving(s)

Prep Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Canned dulce de leche makes these bars come together way, way faster. Note that the total time is 1 hour, plus chilling.

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Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups regular or quick oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 sticks cold salted butter, cut into pieces
2 13.5-ounce cans dulce de leche
About 3 cups chocolate candies, chopped if large (such as M&M's, Twix, Snickers and Milky Way)

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Step 2Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle into the prepared pan and pat to pack it slightly.
3. Step 3Bake until the cookie base is light golden brown on top, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
4. Step 4Spoon the dulce de leche into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave to soften slightly, about 45 seconds. Scoop it on top of the cookie base and use an offset spatula to spread it out to the edges in an even layer. Sprinkle the candies on top and use your hands to gently press them into the dulce de leche. (You can mix the candies together or you can divide the bars into quadrants and use a different kind of candy for each.) If the dulce de leche isn’t soft enough for the candies to stay in place, pop the pan in the oven for 30 seconds or so and then press in the candies very gently.
5. Step 5Chill the bars for 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the pan, place on a cutting board and use a long serrated knife to cut them into 24 small squares (they’re rich!). Serve cold or at room temperature.