Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Beat the egg with the melted butter and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Press half of the oat mixture evenly into the bottom of a buttered 8 by 8-inch baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

While the bottom half of the bars bake make the caramel. Melt the salted butter over medium low heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a very low boil, stirring constantly. Let it cook over very low, gentle heat, so that the mixture is just barely bubbling if at all. The heat will thicken the caramel. After about 5-8 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. Stir until the caramel is smooth.

Once your bottom layer of the bars is done immediately pour the caramel over top. Top with the remaining half of the oatmeal dough. (Do not worry if the dough does not cover the whole top of the caramel. It will spread as it bakes and some holes of caramel poking through are delicious!) Place back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

You can eat these straight out of the oven, but they will be extremely gooey. If you wait 20 minutes they will harden up a bit and eventually they will harden enough to keep their shape. I personally likes them best in their super hot gooey goodness!