Chocolate Chip Caramel Crumble Bars

Chocolate Chip Caramel Crumble Bars have a delicious oatmeal cookie crust, cream cheese filling with chocolate chips and caramel bits, and a cookie crumble top.

Crazy Good Crumble Bars

When I made these Chocolate Chip Caramel Crumble Bars for the very first time, my husband Jack told me that I needed to name them something like, “Crazy Good Crumble Bars” after his first taste.

Ever since – every single time we bake some – as soon as someone new takes a bite, we get asked for the recipe. (They ARE crazy good!)

These easy Chocolate Chip Caramel Crumble bars have an oatmeal cookie bottom with a yummy, sweet cream cheese middle layer. Both semi-sweet chocolate chips and caramel bits are sprinkled over the cream cheese filling, then an oatmeal crumble topping finishes things off.

Once baked, both the chocolate chips and the caramel bits melt slightly into the cream cheese mixture – but you still get a bit of the chewiness from the caramel bits!

These chocolate chip caramel crumble bars are my idea of the perfect bar cookie, and I predict this recipe will become a family favorite at your house too!

• They are a perfect combination of flavors and textures: oatmeal cookie bottom, cream cheese filling, chocolate chips and caramel, plus sweet crumbles on top.
• These bars are easy to make and can be served warm out of the oven, at room temperature, or chilled.
• You can actually vary this recipe with other mix-ins, such as white chocolate chips, nuts, toffee bits, or jam fillings. See our Oatmeal Cranberry Cheesecake Bars for a completely different variation of this recipe.

• Oatmeal – This recipe calls for quick oats rather than rolled oats.
• All-Purpose Flour
• Brown Sugar
• Butter – Either salted or unsalted can be used in this recipe.
• Cream Cheese – Use full fat cream cheese in this recipe for the best results. Don’t be tempted to swap in the lighter cream cheese…the texture and taste won’t be the same.
• Granulated Sugar
• Eggs
• Lemon Juice
• Vanilla Extract
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Kraft Caramel Bits – These are firm, little, chewy caramel bits that soften as they bake, but don’t fully melt. We found them at Walmart, or you can buy them online here. We don’t recommend using caramel chips in this recipe; they won’t have the same texture or taste.
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray

1. Mix flour, oatmeal, and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl.
2. Add softened butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Set aside a portion of the crumb mixture in a small bowl.
4. Pour the remaining crumb mixture into a prepared baking dish and press into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Mix softened cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix again.
6. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the baked oatmeal bottom crust and spread evenly to the edges.
7. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and caramel bits over the cream cheese layer.
8. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top.
9. Bake until set in the middle and the crumbs are lightly golden brown.
10. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate to firm up.
11. Cut into squares for serving.

• Can I use regular (rolled) oats in this recipe? You can, but we suggest that you pulse the oats in a food processor so they are smaller in size. Also note that the texture of the bottom cookie layer may be more chewy.
• How do I store leftovers? Cover and refrigerate for up to four days.
• Can I freeze these bars? We’ve never tried freezing these ourselves, but I think they would hold up well.

Chocolate Chip Caramel Crumble Bars originally appeared on A Family Feast in November 2013. We’ve updated the post and photos but the delicious recipe remains the same.

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