carmelitas (carmel cookies)

these are probably the BEST cookies we make. my mom has been making these since we were little and it was always such a special surprise to come home after school to these. mmmm ... the cookie bars will only usually last 24hours in our household before they all get eaten up.

recipe
crust
3/4c butter
3/4c brown sugar
1tsp baking soda
1c flour
1c oatmeal

topping
33 kraft caramels
3tbs. half&half
3tsb. butter
1c chocolate chips
1c chopped pecans

preheat oven to 35o degrees. start with the crust: melt the butter. add to the melted butter, the brown sugar, baking soda, flour and oatmeal. mix together and press (3/4) of the mixture into a 9x12 baking pan. bake for 10minutes. while the crust is baking, make the filling: melt together the caramels, butter and half&half over the stove. pour the mixture over the hot crust and sprinkle the remaining crust, pecans and chocolate chips. bake again for 15minutes then cool and serve.

this recipe comes from my aunt romy. her recipe of it is a little bit different than the one i posted (asks for more caramels, evaporated milk, smaller pan and no nuts!) but both of them taste about the same. nonetheless, delicious cookie bars and always a favorite.