Today I present to you, ooey gooey coconut caramelitas! What is a coconut caramelita, you ask? Basically the most delcious baked good!
Coconut caramletias are coconut studded oatmeal cookies sandwiching sweet and sticky homemade caramel with chocolate chips and shredded coconut. These are a seriously rich and decadent.
I’ve been meaning to share these coconut caramelitas for quite some time, but they also got eaten before I remembered to take photos… oops!
They are super easy to make since you don’t need softend butter, and if you’re feeling really lazy you could use jarred caramel sauce (but I really really reccommend making it yourself). The only downside to these coconut caramelitas is that if you want them to be pretty and not ooze all over the plate you have to let them cool for 3-4 hours in the fridge (I may or may not have once tried to cut into them after 20 minutes and it may or may not have ended in a delicious caramel covered mess), but I normally let them hang out in the fridge over night. I know it’s a long wait, but trust me, it’s worth it!
These coconut caramelitas are some of my absolute favorite cookie bars, chewy coconut oatmeal cookies with the best caramel and chocolate chips thrown in, yes please!
Coconut Caramelitas
Sweet and gooey caramel sandwiched between oatmeal cookie layers with coconut and chocolate chips!
Ingredients
For the Oatmeal Cookie Base
- cooking spray
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (see note)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups old fashion oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (see note)
For the Caramel
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 tbsp salted butter cut into 8 pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the Caramelitas
- 1 cup chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet, any kind will work)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (see note)
Instructions
For the Oatmeal Cookie Base
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Preheat the oven to 350F, line an 8x8" pan with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray
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In a large microwave safe bowl melt the butter and coconut oil
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Stir in the brown sugar, coconut and vanilla extracts, and salt
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In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, oats, and coconut flakes
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined
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Press half of the dough into the foil lined 8x8" pan
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Bake for 12-15 minutes until very slightly golden, while the caramelitas are in the oven make the caramel sauce
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Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the oatmeal base, then sprinkle on the coconut flakes and pour the caramel sauce (see recipe below) over top
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Crumble the reamining half of the oatmeal base evenly over the top of the caramel
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Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes until the oatmeal cookie is golden brown and the caramel is bubbling
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Allow the coconut caramelitas to cool in the fridge for AT LEAST a few hours before attempting to cut, or they will ooze everywhere, I reccomend chilling in the fridge overnight
For the Caramel (see notes)
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Place in the sugar in a medium sized pot over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or heat proof rubber spatula until the sugar is melted, it will clump up but these clumps will eventually melt into a brown liquid
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Once the sugar is melted add the butter carefully as it will sputter and bubble, stir constantly until the butter is completely melted
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Stream in the heavy cream, whisking/stirring constantly, again, be careful as the caramel will bubble up
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Once everything is combined remove the pan from the heat and set aside
Recipe Notes
- If you don't have coconut oil you can use all butter for this recipe (3/4 cup, or 1 1/2 sticks of butter) and it will turn out fine. I have also tried using only coconut oil (3/4 cup coconut oil), however I don't reccommend this as the oeatmeal base is not nearly as rich and the bars aren't as good as when you use butter.
- You can subsitute sweetend coconut flakes if you can't find unsweetened, but your coconut caramelitas will be a bit sweeter
- If you are more organized than me you can sit your butter and heavy cream at room temperature for a few hours before you make the caramel to help cut down on the bubbling, but I use mine straight from the fridge, just be careful when adding them to the hot sugar
Sweet, ooey, gooey, delicious!
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Its a great recipe and I feel so hungry after seeing your post. I will give a try. thanks for sharing!!!