1 1/2 c. dairy-free margarine, melted

1 1/2 c. brown sugar substitute (I use Swerve brown sugar substitute)

2 c. white whole wheat flour

2 c. oats

2 t. baking soda

1 recipe of sugar-free vegan caramel sauce

12 oz. sugar-free chocolate chips (I use Lily's Dark Chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Cream together the melted butter and the brown sugar. Add in the dry ingredients (flour, oats and baking soda) and mix until combined.

Press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of an 9 x 13 baking pan (ungreased). Bake for 10 minutes.

Take cookies out of oven and allow to cool for 10 min. Pour a generous amount of caramel sauce over the bars (~6 fl. oz., as a guess) and then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel. Crumble the rest of the cookie topping over top of the chocolate chips and caramel. Bake for 20 minutes more, until edges are golden brown and slightly crispy. Cookies will be wobbly when you take them out because of the center of molten caramel – they are baked, do not be fooled.

Wait until cookies have cooled COMPLETELY before cutting or you will have an unholy mess on your hands. Also they will be too hot to eat so just don't do it (no matter how much you want to!)

I have also made these as a vegan gluten-free cookie; that version can be found here: Gluten Free Vegan Carmelitas

A vegan version of the recipe from the The Baker Upstairs: Carmelitas