Decadent Sweet Chewy Turtle Bars (Printable)

Buttery oat crust layered with chocolate chips, pecans, and rich caramel, topped with golden crumble.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust and 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 form crust base.
04 - Bake crust for 10 minutes until slightly golden.
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 distribute 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 Tips:

01 -
  • Every bite delivers three textures at once: buttery crumble, molten caramel, and toasted pecans that crackle between your teeth.
  • You can prep the crust and caramel ahead, then assemble and bake when company arrives.
  • They slice cleanly after cooling, so you get bakery-worthy squares without the mess.
  • The recipe scales beautifully if you need to fill a crowd or just want extras hidden in the freezer.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper, I once spent twenty minutes chiseling caramel off the sides of a pan and vowed never again.
  • Let the bars cool fully before cutting or the caramel will ooze everywhere and you'll end up with a delicious but messy pile.
  • If your caramel is too thick to pour, add an extra tablespoon of cream and stir over low heat until it loosens.
03 -
  • Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes before adding them, the extra nuttiness is worth the small effort.
  • Line the pan with parchment that overhangs the sides, then lift the whole slab out before slicing for perfect edges every time.
  • If you're making your own caramel, cook it until it's a shade darker than you think, it will taste deeper and balance the sweetness of the chocolate.
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