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Caramel Crumb Bars

Caramel Crumb Bars are made with a buttery shortbread-style oat crumble baked in layers, then filled with a thick caramel cooked to 235°F. The result is golden, sandy crumbs with a gooey caramel center that pulls when you lift a bar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 53 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 13 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

oat crumble (base and topping)
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup rolled oats
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
caramel filling
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment so the bars lift out cleanly.
Make the oat crumble
  1. Combine all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix until evenly colored.
  2. Cut in cold cubed unsalted butter until the mixture looks like coarse, crumbly sand.
  3. Press 2/3 of the crumble mixture firmly into the parchment-lined pan and smooth the surface with the back of your hand.
  4. Bake for 12 minutes at 350°F until set and lightly dry at the edges (visual cue: crumbs look set, not browned).
Cook the caramel filling
  1. Melt unsalted butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Add heavy cream and light corn syrup and continue cooking until it reaches 235°F (visual cue: caramel thickens and steam bubbles become slower and thicker).
  3. Remove caramel from the heat and stir in vanilla and salt until fully combined and glossy.
  4. Pour the hot caramel over the baked base so it spreads into an even layer.
Finish and bake
  1. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the caramel in an even layer, leaving some caramel edges peeking through.
  2. Bake for 18–20 minutes at 350°F until the top is golden (visual cue: crumble is browned and smells toasty).
  3. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the warm bars.
  4. Cool completely before cutting so the caramel sets and slices cleanly (visual cue: bars look firm throughout, not glossy in the center).

Notes

For the best caramel texture, use a candy thermometer and stop cooking exactly at 235°F—this is what makes the center thick and sliceable. Store airtight in the fridge up to 5 days; freeze bars (wrapped) up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, replace some butter in the crumble with an equal amount of plant-based butter sticks (look for “baking/buttery” style) to reduce saturated fat.