Caramelitas

 

32 caramel squares, unwrapped (Walmart sells Caramel Bits in the baking section, SO much easier)

1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. 

Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8×8″ pan (I usually double the ingredients and make a 9x13 pan).

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips.

Crumble remaining oatmeal mixture over caramel. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.

*The caramel takes a long time to cool down, so I usually put them in a fridge or freezer for a while because I'm impatient. They should be stored and served at room temperature.
**If you want to use homemade or store-bought caramel sauce in place of the caramel/cream mixture, use 1 1/4 cups of caramel sauce + a little flour to thicken it, and omit the caramel squares and heavy cream.