Sweet and Chewy Turtle Bars (Print Version)

Caramel, chocolate, and pecans layered over buttery oat crumble for chewy, indulgent squares.

# What You 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

# Directions:

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 create crust foundation.
04 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden in color.
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 layer 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 turns golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack. Once cooled, cut into squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The oat crumble on top stays impossibly crunchy even as the caramel soaks into every layer beneath it.
  • You get all the flavor of those fancy turtle candies without tempering chocolate or wrestling with individual wrappers.
  • They slice cleanly once cooled, so you can actually serve them without everything falling apart on the plate.
  • The brown sugar in the crust adds a molasses depth that makes store-bought caramel taste homemade.
02 -
  • If you skip the par-bake step, the crust will turn soggy and the bars won't hold their shape when you cut them.
  • Letting the caramel cool even slightly before pouring helps it cling to the chocolate instead of running off the sides of the pan.
  • Press the crust firmly into the corners, or you'll end up with thick middles and thin, overbaked edges.
  • Don't use quick oats in place of rolled oats or the texture will turn mushy and lose that signature chew.
03 -
  • Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them to intensify their flavor and make them extra crunchy against the soft caramel.
  • If you're making your own caramel, cook it until it's just past amber so it doesn't taste too sweet or one-note against the chocolate.
  • Press a piece of parchment directly onto the caramel layer before adding the crumble if you want cleaner separation between layers and a more structured bar.
  • For a richer finish, brush the baked crust with a thin layer of melted chocolate before adding chips and pecans, this creates a moisture barrier and an extra hit of cocoa.
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