Decadent Sweet and Chewy Turtle Bars (Printable)

Buttery oat crust layered with chocolate chips, toasted pecans, and caramel swirled under a golden crumb topping.

# 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

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large 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 prepared pan to form crust base.
04 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden.
05 - In a 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 is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Every bite delivers that perfect sweet and salty contrast, with caramel that doesn't harden into a tooth-cracking layer.
  • You can assemble the whole thing in one bowl and a saucepan, no mixer required, no fussy steps.
  • They taste like those fancy turtles from the candy shop, but you get to control the chocolate-to-caramel ratio.
  • The crumb topping stays tender and golden, never dry or overly crunchy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pre-bake on the crust, it's the only thing standing between you and a soggy bottom layer that never quite sets.
  • Let the bars cool all the way before slicing, warm caramel will pull apart and cling to your knife no matter how sharp it is.
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick, add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until it drizzles smoothly off a spoon.
03 -
  • Use a hot, dry knife to cut clean squares, wipe it between each slice to keep the caramel from dragging.
  • If you make your own caramel, cook it just until it turns amber, any darker and it'll taste bitter against the chocolate.
  • Press the crust firmly into the pan with the bottom of a measuring cup, it creates an even layer that bakes uniformly.
  • Toast the pecans for five minutes before adding them to the bars, it deepens their flavor and makes them taste even more intentional.
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