Try this Caramel Pecan Oat Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 72.7786209494112 g
- Cholesterol 40.8108333592446 mg
- Fat 23.1726972361421 g
- Fiber 4.20685060320615 g
- Protein 6.5180506256866 g
- Saturated Fat 10.6365543121022 g
- Serving Size 1 1 bar (116g)
- Sodium 170.791805638055 mg
- Sugar 68.5717703462051 g
- Trans Fat 1.86695051476755 g
- Calories 507 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat your oven to 350º F and prepare an 8"x8" with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine the oats, flour, 1/2 pecans, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
- Slowly add the oat mixture and beat on low speed, reserve 1 c of the mixture for topping.
- Press the mixture into the 8"x8" pan, spread the caramel sauce evenly over the surface and crumble the remaining 1 c of mixture over the top.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges are set.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan, slice and serve.
Using a stand mixer to cream butter and brown sugar introduces air pockets that yield a lighter crumb when combined with oat flour. Pressed-crust slice bars trace their lineage back to traditional British flapjacks and Scottish oatcakes, where rolled grains served as durable rations before evolving into sweet, pan-baked pastries featuring regional nuts and syrups. Adapting these foundational baking techniques ensures the layers hold their structure without becoming dense.
- Cream the butter and packed brown sugar for at least three minutes until the mixture turns pale and fluffy to ensure proper leavening.
- Reserve exactly one cup of the dry oat mixture before pressing the base into the eight-by-eight-inch pan, leaving enough crumb topping for the final layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 18 minutes, watching for the edges to set firmly before removing the pan from the oven.
- Allow the bars to cool completely inside the pan so the caramel layer firms up enough to slice cleanly.
Proper temperature control prevents the caramel from boiling over the edges during baking. Storing baked bars in an airtight container at room temperature preserves the crisp texture of the oat crumble.
