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August 31, 2016

Keto Carmelitas – Grain-Free

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

28.8Kshares

These keto carmelitas are going to blow your mind. Heavenly low carb “oatmeal” bars filled with sugar-free caramel and chocolate. Hard to believe this grain-free treat isn’t made with oats!

Low Carb Carmelitas. Grain-Free THM LCHF Keto Banting Recipe

The first time I ever tried carmelitas, I may have swooned and fallen to the floor. I am not exactly sure where I was, but if recollection serves me properly, I was visiting my sister in law in Bar Harbor, Maine. It’s possible that she made them herself (she’s quite a good cook and her last name is Baker, after all) or she may have picked them up at one of the local bakeries.

Usually I remember details like this very well but I do believe I was so overcome by the delicious, oat-y, caramel-y, chocolate-y crumbliness in my mouth, all other senses faded away. I was transported. I was in my own little world, savouring every morsel, every crumb, unable to think beyond the sweetness in my mouth. I was in deep. Way over my head.

A stack of keto carmelita bars with two in front and chocolate chips all around.

What are Carmelitas?

If you’ve never had a carmelita, let me tell you a little bit about them.

Conventional carmelitas are made with a crumbly oat and brown sugar crust, and are filled with caramel sauce and chocolate chips, with a top layer of the same crust. Can you see why I fell so hard and fast in love with them? I do love oats in baked goods, the way they make things so crumbly and delicious.

I miss oats, I miss them a lot. But I don’t miss them enough to actually eat them and mess with my blood sugar. Oats are lovely but they are not lovely for me. And presumably not for you either, since you are reading a low carb, grain-free food blog.

So is it sacrilege to make carmelitas without oats? And how to get that crumbly quality, the sort that has little bits falling off as you cut them? The little crumbly bits are sometimes the best part. How they fall back into the pan or onto your plate, and you lick the tips of your fingers to press into them and lift them into your mouth.

Exactly how does one achieve that perfect crumble without grains?

Two carmelitas on a white plate. The front bar has a bite taken out of it.

How to Make Low Carb Carmelitas

Oh ye of little faith. I am nothing if not resourceful when it comes to low carb baking. And I have come up with the best keto replacement for oats.

There was a time when I needed shredded coconut but I only had flaked. So I popped that stuff in my food processor to chop it up more finely. I noticed an oatmeal-like texture to the item I was baking, so I filed that little tidbit away in my brain for future use.

When I decided to tackle low carb carmelitas, I used both flaked coconut and some sliced almonds. I processed them just enough so that they resembled oats in size, and added them to my crust mixture. Um, not to brag or anything but…NAILED IT! Look at that topping…doesn’t that look like oats to you?

Now all you have to do is add some butter, some almond flour, some low carb sweetener, and a little bit of coconut flour to make it even more dry and crumbly and you’ve got yourself the perfect keto “oatmeal” crust.

But you don’t stop there. Oh no. You go and make my amazing keto caramel sauce. Go on, just make it! You won’t regret it for a second. You will want to just spoon that sauce straight into your mouth. But be sure to save enough for your low carb carmelitas!

Now that you have all the pieces of the puzzle, you can put together your carmelitas. Put down a first layer of the crust and press it firmly into the pan. Then sprinkle with some sugar free chocolate chips. You could also chop up a low carb chocolate bar or even use my homemade sugar free chocolate chips. They would work perfectly here.

Pour your keto caramel sauce over that and sprinkle with the remaining oatmeal crust. And bake it until golden brown. Voila!

These are just as heavenly as the high carb carmelitas of my memory. I am so happy. SO HAPPY! Now go make them and you can do the happy dance with me.

My new favorite low carb dessert. Grain-free LCHF Carmelitas.

Other Delicious Keto Bar Recipes

Keto Pecan Toffee Bars

Keto Magic Cookie Bars

Low Carb Coconut Macadamia Bars

Keto Tagalong Bars

Keto Pumpkin Bars

Keto Lemon Bars

5 from 20 votes
Low Carb Carmelitas. Grain-Free THM LCHF Keto Banting Recipe
Print
Carmelitas
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

Heavenly low carb crumb bars filled with sugar-free caramel and chocolate. You'd hardly believe that this grain-free treat isn't made with oats!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Keyword: carmelitas, keto crumb bars
Servings: 16 Bars
Calories: 228 kcal
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour divided
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
Filling:
  • 1 Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce (leave out the additional water)
  • 1/2 cup Lily's Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips or other low carb chocolate
Instructions
Crust:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x9 inch square pan (can also use 8x8 but baking time will be longer).

  2. In a food processor, combine coconut and sliced almond. Pulse until the pieces are broken up and about the size of oats in size. Transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Add the almond flour, sweetener, 2 tbsp coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in melted butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Press a little more than half of the mixture firmly into the bottom of prepared baking pan (it doesn't look like it will be enough, but it is...just keep pressing it in, as thinly as you need to). Bake 10 minutes, until puffed and edges are just golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
  5. Add the remaining tablespoon of coconut flour to the remaining crust ingredients and mix well to help make it drier and crumblier. Break it up into small crumbs.
Filling:
  1. While bottom crust is cooling, make the caramel sauce and let it cool 10 minutes or so. Then pour the caramel sauce over the crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

  2. Sprinkle filling with remaining crust and press lightly to adhere. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until top crust is golden brown.
  3. Remove and let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Serves 16. Each serving has 4.32g NET CARBS.

Food energy: 228kcal Total fat: 20.88g Calories from fat: 187 Cholesterol: 33mg Carbohydrate: 7.58g Total dietary fiber: 3.26g Protein: 3.59g Erythritol: 16.9g

Nutrition Facts
Carmelitas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 228 Calories from Fat 188
% Daily Value*
Fat 20.88g32%
Cholesterol 33mg11%
Carbohydrates 7.58g3%
Fiber 3.26g13%
Protein 5.29g11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
28.8Kshares

Filed Under: Brownies & Bars, Gluten Free, Low Carb Tagged With: almond flour, caramel, chocolate, coconut

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Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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Comments

  1. Christine Reda says

    August 31, 2016 at 6:37 am

    Thank you! Love your recipes every single one is great! Trying this today!

    Reply
  2. Vicki says

    August 31, 2016 at 7:30 am

    Yum, looking forward to trying this one! You always have the BEST recipes! Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Stephanie Deal says

    August 31, 2016 at 7:47 am

    OH my — I’ve been traveling for business for 8 days and have been craving a GOOD low-carb dessert. I am making these tonight for sure!!! They look heavenly! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. LK Brown says

    August 31, 2016 at 7:49 am

    Christmas cookie at our family get togethers. Very excited to see this!

    Reply
  5. Maria H says

    August 31, 2016 at 8:14 am

    Carolyn….

    This is my first time commenting. I’m more of a “quiet follower” but I must say that your blog and articles make me laugh every time I read them. You are so witty! The blogs are just as sweet as the recipes! 🙂

    Reply
    • Shirley says

      January 1, 2018 at 2:48 pm

      Exactly what Maria said!.

      Reply
  6. EmmyLou Wassink says

    August 31, 2016 at 8:31 am

    Sounds delicious! Giving them a whirl today. Could the THM baking blend be a sub for the coconut flour? Thanks in advance! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Susan says

    August 31, 2016 at 8:44 am

    These look amazing!

    Reply
  8. Carrie says

    August 31, 2016 at 9:32 am

    All I can say is…yummmmm!!!

    Reply
  9. Tresa says

    August 31, 2016 at 9:38 am

    Kepp up the good work. I love your recipes. I am on my way to the kitchen right now to make this one.?

    Reply
  10. Lori Kaumans says

    August 31, 2016 at 9:44 am

    Carolyn, you are seriously my hero! First Texas sheet cake, now carmelitas, my two favorites are now low carb! Thank you!!!

    PS: Could you work on a fudge recipe that’s not like a ganache or cream cheese fudge? I’m a candy maker and my favorite is old-fashioned creamed fudge. I’d love a low carb version but don’t know enough about low carb ingredients to know how they will cook and cream or if that’s even possible.

    Reply
  11. Brenda says

    August 31, 2016 at 10:41 am

    thanks for this amazing recipe! you are such a blessing to those of us trying to stay low carb!!

    Reply
  12. John Arnolds says

    September 1, 2016 at 6:27 am

    Hi it sounds like this is a great recipe but I’m allergic to almonds so is there a substitute for almond and almond flour in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 1, 2016 at 8:53 am

      You can use any other nut or seed flour here.

      Reply
      • rebecca phillips says

        December 22, 2016 at 7:53 pm

        which one do you think would have the least compromise on flavour eg sesame flour will be too strong (great as a substitute for almond flour in pizza bases though) – maybe sunflower seed flour?

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          December 23, 2016 at 7:21 am

          Sunflower seed.

          Reply
  13. Stephanie Deal says

    September 5, 2016 at 4:20 pm

    OK – took me a couple of days to get these made but oh my gosh – they are yummy and super easy to make!! My husband said this was his favorite low-carb dessert ever!! Thx!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 5, 2016 at 9:54 pm

      Score! Love the “favourite ever”!

      Reply
  14. Bobbie says

    September 5, 2016 at 10:16 pm

    Made these yesterday. Very easy and ABSOLUTELY divine!! I too missed oatmeal deserts. I’m thinking this combination needs to find its way into a cookie. 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 6, 2016 at 7:15 am

      I am thinking the same thing about the cookie…

      Reply
  15. Jamie says

    September 7, 2016 at 3:23 pm

    where is the recipe for the caramel sauce?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 7, 2016 at 4:09 pm

      It’s a clickable link in the recipe, just click on it and you will get to the caramel sauce.

      Reply
  16. Stacy says

    September 14, 2016 at 7:29 am

    I made these last week. They are absolutely heavenly! I cut them up into bars and stuck them in the freezer and I take one out every afternoon to have as my treat! Your recipes are the best!

    Reply
  17. Rita Anastasiou says

    September 26, 2016 at 9:00 pm

    These beauties look amazing! I really must try them 🙂 I’ve heard them before,but never made them,but I feel the time has finally come!

    Reply
  18. Dawn says

    September 29, 2016 at 10:30 pm

    I just made these and they turned out fantastic! I’m eating one now that I scooped out of the pan because they’re not set up yet. Thank you so much for all the work you do so that us low carb-ers can have yummy treats.

    Reply
    • Janet says

      October 16, 2016 at 6:36 pm

      I put mine into the fridge to set up…actually prefer them cold!

      Reply
  19. Melanie says

    October 7, 2016 at 8:37 am

    Does it have a real coconutty taste ? Would love to try this but don’t really like an overwhelming coconut taste. I really love reading all of your posts and have tried several of your recipes. Thanks !

    Reply
  20. Amy says

    October 15, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    I must have done something wrong as mine are not bars but rather a big crumbly mess, a big crumbly delicious mess though.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 15, 2016 at 4:42 pm

      Sorry, really don’t know what happened. Did you use anything different than my ingredients?

      Reply
  21. Janet says

    October 16, 2016 at 6:35 pm

    OMG!! You have done it once again! These are delicious…not knowing what a Carmelita was I made these anyway, knowing that with those delicious ingredients, how could I go wrong? To me they taste like a “Magic Cookie Bar” from the back of the can of Eagle sweetened condensed milk. Love them but love these more since I can have them on my WOE!!!! Thanks for all you do to develop these wonderful recipes that keep my daughter and me on our low carb pathway.

    Reply
  22. Nicole says

    December 3, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    Omg!!!!!!!! I made these for myself and a friend of mine and they were ahhhhhmazing!!! Everything worked out perfectly and the consistency of the crumble reminds of date squares that I miss soooo much. These are to die for and the caramel sauce was sooo good! Thank you again Carolyn for all your hard work! I also have the s’mores in the fridge waiting to firm up.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 3, 2016 at 10:30 pm

      Date squares, yes! My mother used to make those. If only I could make dates low carb…

      Reply
  23. Nicole says

    December 7, 2016 at 1:35 pm

    Yes, too bad dates aren’t low carb. Lol. These Carmelitas didn’t even last an afternoon and I’ve been asked to make them again so I’m making more this afternoon. I ran out of Lilly chocolate chips. Is there anything else I could use like a 90% cocoa bar?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 7, 2016 at 3:06 pm

      Yes, any chocolate would be fine here.

      Reply
  24. Susie says

    December 21, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    I just ran out of almond flour, could I sub coconut flour and use 1/4 the amount? Thanks!

    Reply
  25. Kerry says

    December 23, 2016 at 10:30 am

    Does anyone have the adjusted cooking time for an 8×8 pan? I’m making a double recipe, so maybe even a 9×13?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 23, 2016 at 1:50 pm

      9×13 is a little less than double in terms of square inches so I suspect it will need a bit longer time.

      Reply
  26. Michelle Smith says

    December 28, 2016 at 5:10 pm

    Quick question: I noticed that several of your recipes use almond flour and coconut flour. Could I replace the almond flour with an equal amount of coconut flour or is there something else you would suggest? I have 2 family members with severe nut allergies (we avoid nuts of all varieties). Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 29, 2016 at 9:24 am

      No you absolutely can’t swap them in for each other in the same amounts. They are very different creatures. For almond flour, I would suggest actually using sunflower seed flour. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2015/12/how-to-make-your-own-sunflower-seed-flour.html

      Reply
  27. Tanya Payne says

    January 10, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    Tried these the weekend before last and they are outstanding!!

    Reply
  28. Jill says

    January 20, 2017 at 11:40 am

    Has anyone tried making with a sub for Swerve? Swerve hasn’t been available in my area for a couple weeks and it’s on backorder through Amazon, ugh. Would love to make these soon. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 20, 2017 at 2:34 pm

      I think you could do this with plain erythritol and a little stevia.

      Reply
  29. LuAnne says

    January 22, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    I made these today and they are yummy! I didn’t have coconut sugar for the caramel sauce so I used black strap molasses and I think that, along with the unsweetened chocolate, made them a bit more bitterness than I would prefer but still delicious. I’ll definitely be making them again but next time I’ll make sure to get some coconut sugar beforehand and maybe use 85 or 90% chocolate. They definitely satisfy my sweet tooth so thank you!

    Reply
  30. Tom says

    March 24, 2017 at 7:02 pm

    I thought these were okay, I used the molasses option in the caramel sauce and felt it gave it a slightly bitter taste I didn’t care for. And I’m sure I did not burn it. The bars are pretty good, just not my favorite type of dessert. My partner, however, went crazy for them, says they remind him of baklava, which I can see in a way.

    Reply
  31. Frieda says

    April 1, 2017 at 2:23 pm

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this recipe ! They are devine. Every bite is a mouthful of joy.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      April 2, 2017 at 8:04 am

      So glad you like them.!

      Reply
  32. Dudley Shumate says

    April 6, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    These are the BEST low carb treat I have made to date. That’s saying something. I can’t wait to make again, that’s DEFINITELY saying something! I added 1 tsp of cinnamon to the crumb mixture and used walnuts/pecans v almonds. They are fabulous!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      April 6, 2017 at 9:12 pm

      So glad it worked out for you.

      Reply
  33. Dodi says

    May 30, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    HELP! What am I doing wrong? I have baked for decades and have never had issues like this. I have tried making the caramel sauce twice. I am using erythritol – is that my problem? The first time I used the molasses and it immediately burned. The second time I used all erythritol, and it was looking OK but suddenly turned and burned. I cooked on lower than medium gas flame and stirred constantly with heat-resistant spatula. I suppose it is the sugar substitute. I thought erythritol was the same as Swerve…apparently Swerve is a mixture of erythritol and oligosaccharides . Ugh. Now I have a cooked bottom crust, Lily chocolate chips, uncooked crumbs for the top, and two batches of the burned butter and erythritol in a smelly kitchen.
    Suggestions on what to do with my ingredients?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 30, 2017 at 3:28 pm

      Can you whip up some cream cheese with sweetener and cream and pour it over the crust? That would be tasty. Top with the other crust material and bake until the cream cheese seems mostly set. As for the burning…what pan are you using? That could be part of it. Obviously yours seems to burn more easily so definitely reduce the time next time.

      Reply
  34. Karen Ortega says

    June 27, 2017 at 9:58 pm

    I have been trying a few of your recipes and this one is one of my favorites next to the Brownie Cheesecake. The caramel sauce so amazing that one would not know that it is low carb. I doubled the caramel sauce recipe since I had a half stick of melted butter already and I’m glad I made a double batch since I will be making a second Carmelita recipe once this one is devoured. I hate trying recipes using very expensive ingredients just to have them be inedible but your recipes are manageable and taste fantastic! Thanks for your hard work and generosity in sharing your recipes!

    Reply
  35. Nita Folkers says

    July 14, 2017 at 7:07 pm

    I made them today! Super yummy but they fell apart?. How do I get them to stay together?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      July 15, 2017 at 11:15 am

      Grind your nuts and coconut a bit more.

      Reply
    • Carolyn says

      July 15, 2017 at 11:15 am

      But keep in mind that carmelitas are supposed to be crumbly.

      Reply
  36. Nicole says

    July 18, 2017 at 9:40 pm

    These are my favorite dessert now…ty so much…I keep them in the fridge to keep them together…love love love!!!

    Reply
  37. Linda says

    August 28, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    Would this recipe work minus the flaked coconut? Is there something else that would need to be substituted for it?

    Reply
  38. Nanci says

    September 15, 2017 at 9:50 am

    I have these in the oven, and I admit, I’m nervous. My caramel sauce did not thicken. I mean, it’s thicker than water but it’s thinner than the thin batter from a box cake mix when you pour it out. It did spread out over all of the crust, though, which it probably wouldn’t have if it had been thicker. Was it supposed to thicken?

    Reply
  39. Melinda says

    November 4, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    I am SO doing the happy dance with you! I have loved carmelitas for probably 30 years; they were always one of our special occasion, holiday treats. Like you, oats are the one thing (well, besides pizza), that I really miss with our transition to low carb high fat eating. I am beyond thrilled that you’ve shared this recipe! I can’t wait to try them!!!

    Reply
  40. Nicole says

    January 1, 2018 at 6:02 pm

    I made Carmelitas once again and they satisfied my sweet tooth while everyone else was eating sugary cookies I made such as butterfudge squares. It is a recipe that has been in my family for a long time. The base is similar to the Carmelitas so I made an extra base to try butterfudge squares low carb as it’s just the topping and the icing after that. I’d love to send you the recipe if you’re interested in trying another cookie. All your recipes are great and saved me at Christmas when the temptation was very strong to eat sugar. Thank you again for your work and I love your blog!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 1, 2018 at 6:03 pm

      Sure, please send it to [email protected]

      Reply
  41. Nicole says

    January 3, 2018 at 3:57 pm

    Recipe has been sent to the email above. Thanks!

    Reply
  42. Burghanite says

    January 5, 2018 at 9:12 am

    Delightful! I doubled the recipe and used a 9×13. Turned out perfectly. Thank you for posting this.

    Reply
  43. Stephanie says

    January 28, 2018 at 5:19 pm

    I know I must be missing something, but I can not see the recipe for the carmelitas or a link to it. Please help!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 28, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      It’s not you. My site is having issues and we are trying to get it fixed ASAP.

      Reply
  44. Susan says

    February 21, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    Are they supposed to be jiggly after baking or will thwy set up as they sit

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      February 21, 2018 at 3:18 pm

      Not jiggly, but softish.

      Reply
  45. Hudson says

    March 8, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    5 stars
    This is first keto treat I’ve had that actually tastes good. Thank you!! I used monkfruit instead of swerve because that’s what I had on hand. Do you think this changes the net carbs? Is the net carb including the Carmel sauce?
    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 8, 2018 at 6:16 pm

      Depends on what kind/brand of monk fruit…

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 8, 2018 at 6:16 pm

        And yes, the carbs in this recipe include all parts of the recipe, including the caramel sauce.

        Reply
  46. Sunny says

    April 7, 2018 at 11:41 am

    One of the best low carb bar cookie recipes there is. These come out amazing each time, and they are a big hit at home and work. No one knows they are low carb at all. I’ve made these numerous times and they always turn out as pictured. Thanks for posting this treat

    Reply
  47. Maria says

    April 13, 2018 at 7:32 pm

    Hi Carolyn,

    I just tried your Lemon Scone recipe and it was AMAZING!
    I can’t wait to try this one too, however I ‘m not much of a flaked coconut fan. Can I use something else?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      April 14, 2018 at 8:25 am

      Try more sliced almonds. It’s the texture you’re going for here.

      Reply
      • Sue Gosby-Worley says

        April 14, 2018 at 1:20 pm

        5 stars
        I made these yesterday and they are to die for! they are really rich, so I cut them into 25 pieces (I used an 8×8 pan). However, I made my own caramel sauce because your link to the sauce recipe is not working. Any way we can get that fixed? Or can you tell me which caramel recipe you used?
        Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          April 14, 2018 at 2:36 pm

          Thanks for the heads up, I just fixed the link!

          Reply
  48. Sarah says

    May 4, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    5 stars
    These were amazing! Absolutely hands-down our favorite low carb cookie/brownie so far. The texture is wonderful: crumbly, buttery, delicious! This was all in spite of 3 substitutions I had to make too! (1. Golden Lakanto for the Swerve w/ the molasses in the caramel sauce doesn’t really work and turns grainy when cooled but in the bars… is still absolutely delicious! 2. Shredded dried coconut instead of the flaked. (I still chopped the almonds as you suggested and it worked great!) 3. Chopped bar of Lily’s Salted Almond milk chocolate instead of the chocolate chips (well… that one might be just because we are addicted to it). That’s how delicious and versatile this recipe is… it’s awesome! Thanks again for all you do Carolyn… you rock!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 4, 2018 at 3:41 pm

      Yes unfortunately Lakanto Golden is still really mostly erythritol so it does re-crystallize. Not an issue for flavour but not always great for consistency!

      Reply
  49. Cheryl Miller says

    June 13, 2018 at 10:54 am

    5 stars
    Oh my these Carmelita Bars are just AMAZING!!!
    I was introduced to the sugar laden CARMALITA BARS this past winter and I knew then I need to figure out how to convert these to a healthy sugar free bar otherwise they will get us into trouble!
    Well you have done a a MASTERFUL job in doing so!!! So glad I came across this recipe!!!
    I Enjoy your blog and thankful you dream about food all day so we can enjoy your creations!!!

    Reply
  50. Stacy Hipp says

    June 22, 2018 at 12:44 pm

    I can’t find Swerve sweetener so I will be ordering it. Is there anything that can be used as a substitute that has been tried?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 22, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      Bocha Sweet is the only other sweetener I would recommend here.

      Reply
  51. Bernadette Schell says

    September 25, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    Very good, although I made the crust with butter flavored coconut oil. The caramel sauce I made was dairy free and I used golden monk fruit sweetener for all the sugar. Sweet enough with monk fruit.

    Reply
  52. Kristyn says

    December 5, 2018 at 4:11 pm

    5 stars
    I LOVE these!! They are crunchy, gooey, & so delicious!! They are always gone in minutes!

    Reply
  53. Stacie A Hamilton says

    December 5, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never tried these, but I can see why you loved them at first bite! I will be making some this holiday season.

    Reply
  54. Allyson Zea says

    December 5, 2018 at 5:14 pm

    5 stars
    I am making these with the kids this weekend!

    Reply
  55. Emily Hill says

    December 5, 2018 at 9:39 pm

    5 stars
    Carmelitas are one of my favorite bar cookies. Love all the textures and flavors!

    Reply
  56. Laura Reese says

    December 6, 2018 at 1:15 am

    5 stars
    I am always looking for keto-friendly recipes. Thank you!

    Reply
  57. Susie says

    December 19, 2018 at 11:39 am

    Hi! I’ve made these and LOVE them!! ❤️
    Wondering if it’d be possible to swap out some of the almond flour for oat fiber and or whey isolate? Would it change the texture too much? Trying to lowered carb count. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 19, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      I don’t know, I haven’t tried it. Oat fiber might be okay.

      Reply
      • susie says

        December 19, 2018 at 10:30 pm

        5 stars
        Thanks Caroline!

        Reply
  58. Marla says

    December 24, 2018 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    Carolyn, I made these last night to take with me on Christmas morning. They are amazing! The problem is these would be very dangerous for me to keep around the house. They are the perfect decadent dessert! Thank you for the wonderful recipes. Yours are ones I can trust to come out well and tasty.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 24, 2018 at 11:02 am

      yep, definitely dangerous!!!

      Reply
  59. Sheryl Collins says

    December 24, 2018 at 4:26 pm

    5 stars
    Oh. My. Goodness! This is my new number one favorite recipe.
    I told my husband they’re horrible so he won’t touch them 🙂
    Mine… They’re all mine!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 24, 2018 at 7:10 pm

      Hahahahahahaha! Enjoy!

      Reply
  60. Anna says

    February 6, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    These are hands down my favorite dessert bars ever! So easy and delicious!

    Reply
  61. Tara says

    February 6, 2019 at 4:17 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious crumbly little treats, how I love thee!

    Reply
  62. krissy says

    February 6, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    5 stars
    Due to food allergies its hard to find a good low sugar gluten free treat. But these are amazing! I highly reccomend them!

    Reply
  63. Becky Hardin says

    February 6, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    5 stars
    These are favorites here at our house!!!

    Reply
  64. Taylor says

    February 7, 2019 at 8:41 am

    These look AMAZING! Can’t believe they are low carb and paleo! Definitely trying soon!

    Reply
  65. Tara says

    February 22, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    5 stars
    By far the best cookie bar I’ve made in ages! I’m currently in the process of making a double batch now because I gave away so many of my first try because I just had to share how amazing they are. I did use allulose syrup instead of your magic ingredient in the caramel sauce because I was too impatient to order it. But it didn’t seem to affect the result as far as the yummy factor in this bar. Thank you, thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe. You are helping to make this Keto journey a joy for me and many others.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      February 23, 2020 at 10:15 am

      So glad to hear it!

      Reply
    • Deb Block says

      November 1, 2020 at 2:12 pm

      Waiting for these to come out of the oven but I hope I didn’t mess them up…the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of coconut flour divided but it calls for 2 in the base then another in the crumble half…so is it really 3 T divided??

      Reply
  66. Dawnj says

    March 3, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    Made these two days ago and they are gone. Thank you for all the effort you put into brainstorming these delicious recipes! I know the Carmelitas have many rave reviews but I wanted to also add how much my family and I enjoy them.

    Reply
  67. Stefanie says

    March 22, 2020 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    Made these today. Flavor is great, didn’t substitute anything – only used shredded coconut instead of flaked, but they came out completely dry and crumbly. Maybe I overbaked them? Anything I can do to add some moisture after the fact?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 22, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      So two things: the shredded coconut is finer and thus may account for some of the dryness. They may also have gotten a bit over-baked. Maybe crumble them over keto ice cream?

      Reply
  68. Carol J Rhodes-Rice says

    March 26, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    Hi Carolyn, when does the almond and Coconut mixture go in? I must have missed it?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 27, 2020 at 9:30 am

      In step 2, it says to transfer them to a large bowl… then in step 3, it tells you to add the remaining ingredients into that bowl.

      Reply
      • Carol Rhodes-Rice says

        April 1, 2020 at 10:50 am

        5 stars
        Thank you! I did reread it and saw that I was supposed to add the dry ingredients to the coconut almond mixture. D’oh! It’s still amazing!

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          April 1, 2020 at 2:50 pm

          Glad it worked out!

          Reply

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Carolyn PortraitLooking for the best low carb recipes? You've come to the right place! I'm Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

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