SWEET ’N’ SALTY

This decadent bar features gooey caramel with cinnamon almonds between two layers of oatmeal cookie. It was adapted from a recipe at justsotasty.com by Sarah Renish-Ratelis of Kenosha.

Salted Caramel Crunch Oatmeal Bars Makes 48 (2 1⁄2-by-1 1⁄4-inch) bars Oatmeal cookie mixture:

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

3 cups quick-cooking oats (don’t use old-fashioned)

2 1⁄2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

Caramel layer:

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 bag (10 ounces) caramel chips (see note)

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt 1

1 cup cinnamon almonds (chopped after measuring)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15-by-10-inch sheet pan with parchment and coat with vegetable oil spray.

Make oatmeal cookie

mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and butter and beat 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until combined. In another bowl, mix oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir dry ingredients into creamed butter and sugar.

Reserve 1 1⁄2 cups of the cookie mixture and pat remainder into an even layer in prepared pan.

Make caramel layer: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, caramel chips and butter. Microwave on high 60 seconds. Stir and continue to heat in 15-second intervals, stirring after each until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla.

Spread caramel mixture into an even layer over cookie mixture in pan. Sprinkle with the salt and cinnamon almonds. Break up reserved oatmeal mixture and drop it over top of caramel mixture, distributing evenly.

Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 27 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Store in refrigerator. (The caramel layer will set up more when chilled.)

Note: Hershey’s sea salt caramel chips were used in this recipe.