12 Days of Cookies - Day 7 - Oatmeal Turtle Jumbles

Thursday was mother - daughter baking day.   A tradition we have kept up for several years now.  My mom, sister, my niece and I get together one day around Christmas to bake butter tarts and one or two other cookies or bars.   We almost missed this years baking day but managed to squeeze it in just in time.   I woke up early to pick up the last of our ingredients and they arrived around 10:30.     Our bar of choice this time around was these Oatmeal Turtle Jumbles.    I have had my eye on these for a couple years now in a one of my older Holiday cookie magazines.   I showed my sister the picture and she was hooked - chocolate, oatmeal and caramel.

(Adapted from Cuisine at Home - Holiday Cookies)
INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 3/4 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup condensed milk
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 24 caramel squares, cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Cover a 10 inch sq. pan with tin foil with enough to fold over 2 opposing edges. Spray with non stick spray. 

2) In a mixer bowl or large bowl , combine butter and sugars and cream together until light and fluffy.   

3) Add the egg and mix to incorporate.   Add in the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing on low just to blend together.

4) Using a pastry cutter blend in oats.  Take 2 cups of the mixture and press down to cover the base of the pan. Set aside

5) Preheat oven to 350F. Add the cut up caramels to the remaining dough, mixing them in with your hands. 

6) In a medium sauce pan on medium heat,  melt the chocolate chips, condensed milk, heavy cream and cocoa powder together.  Stirring constantly until mixture is smooth.   

7) Remove from heat and add pecans and vanilla. 

8) Pour the filling over the dough and spread evenly using a offset spatula. 

9) Crumble the remaining dough & caramel randomly over the chocolate.   Bake for 25-30 minutes until chocolate is set and topping is slightly brown.  Cool bars completely before cutting.  

Bars can be frozen for up to 1 month, it is advised not to double the recipe.  

These bars are a wonderful combination of crunchy, chewy, chocolaty and nutty.  Crunchy oat base, smooth creamy chocolate filling and a gooey caramel crunchy topping.  Need I say more.  My mom and I both brought some of ours to work and they were requests for more.   Good sign I would say. 

MEG's RATING: D-EEEE-LICIOUS!

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