Published: Aug 31, 2016 · Modified: Jun 27, 2021 by Carolyn

Keto Carmelitas – Grain-Free

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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!

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.

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?

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.

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

Carmelitas

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!

4.78 from 35 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: carmelitas, keto carmelitas

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 228kcal

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
¾ cup sliced almonds
1 cup almond flour
½ cup Swerve Sweetener
3 tablespoon coconut flour divided
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter melted

Filling:

1 Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce (leave out the additional water)
½ cup Lily's Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips or other low carb chocolate

Instructions

Crust:

Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x9 inch square pan (can also use 8x8 but baking time will be longer).
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.
Add the almond flour, sweetener, 2 tablespoon coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in melted butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
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.
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:

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

Video

Nutrition Facts

Carmelitas

Amount Per Serving (1 bar)

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.

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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