1 1/2 c. vegan margarine, melted

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1 c. white flour

1 c. white whole wheat flour

2 t. baking soda

2 c. rolled oats

1 recipe vegan caramel sauce

12 oz. chocolate chips

1/2 c. vegan margarine, melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. white flour

1/3 c. white whole wheat flour

2/3 t. baking soda

2/3 c. rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

Make the cookie base: Melt the margarine for the cookie base in the microwave in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Once the margarine is melted (don't worry if it's not absolutely all melted), add the brown sugar for the cookie base to the bowl and mix them together. Add in the flour and baking soda for the cookie base and mix until combined. Stir in the oats for the cookie base by hand until they are well incorporated. Press the cookie dough for the base into the bottom of two 9 x 13 baking pans (greased). Don't worry that it seems like a very thin layer for the cookie base; they puff up considerable while baking. Just make sure the bottom of the tray is fully and evenly covered. Bake for 10 minutes. Take cookies out of oven and allow to cool for at least 10 min.

Make the vegan caramel sauce and allow it to cool on the stovetop.

Make the cookie topping: repeat the steps for making the cookie base, with the cookie topping ingredients (1/2 c. butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 2/3 c. flour, 2/3 t. baking soda and 2/3 c. oats).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the caramel sauce over the cookie base and then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel.

Crumble 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!)

This recipe makes two pans worth of the Carmelitas, which I cut fairly small (24 per pan). If you don't want to make two pans worth, cut the recipe in half. Of course, then you will have leftover vegan caramel sauce. Such a tragedy.

If you didn't want or need to make this vegan, you can use a pre-made non-vegan caramel sauce, or make your own homemade caramel sauce with sweetened condensed milk (instead of the sweetened condensed coconut milk).

If you don't want or need to make these gluten-free, just use regular flour and oats instead.

I've made these as a vegan sugar-free cookie also (not gluten-free, although they could be if need be; just sub in gluten-free flour). That version of the recipe can be found here: Sugar-Free Carmelitas

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

Yield: 48 cookies

Last updated: 7/14/25