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A close-up shot of two homemade oatmeal caramel bars stacked, with the gooey caramel and chocolate filling visible.

Salt River Bars: The Ultimate Gooey Caramel & Chocolate Oat Bar Recipe

The ultimate recipe for Salt River Bars, featuring a chewy oatmeal crust, a gooey layer of caramel and chocolate, and a crunchy crumble topping. This easy-to-follow recipe delivers perfectly decadent dessert bars every single time.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Oatmeal Crust and Topping
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
  • 1.5 cups Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
For the Gooey Filling
  • 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1 cup Pecans or Walnuts, chopped Toasting is optional but recommended
  • 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Pan
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper with an overhang.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly. Press half of this mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  4. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and chopped nuts evenly over the crust. Drizzle the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the top.
  5. Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the filling layer.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
  7. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing and serving. For best results, chill for 30 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Do Not Cut While Warm: The bars need to cool completely for the caramel to set, ensuring clean slices.
Parchment Paper Sling: Using parchment paper makes it incredibly easy to lift the bars out of the pan for cutting.
Toast the Nuts: For an enhanced nutty flavor, toast the nuts in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes before using.