Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Chews

I made these a few nights ago as a special dessert for a friend and they were INCREDIBLE!!!  When I was first diagnosed with Celiac disease, I was bummed that I wouldn't be able to eat my absolute favorite dessert from Chili's anymore, their Paradise Pie!  I kept telling myself that I would have to make a gluten-free version of it, for special occasions (if I made it too often, I would have to buy a new wardrobe).  This is it!!!  Just warm a piece in the microwave for about 15 seconds, top with vanilla ice cream and if you ask me, it's even better than Paradise Pie!!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from the new Pampered Chef Favorites Made Gluten -Free cookbook.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL OATMEAL CHEWS

2 cups gluten-free quick or old-fashioned oats

1 3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour, divided

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum, divided

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter (2 sticks), melted

1 cup Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel Topping

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

6 ounces Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly brush a 13x9" rectangular pan with vegetable oil (or spray with Pam).

2)  Combine oats, 1 1/2 cups of the flour, brown sugar, 3/4 tsp. of the xanthan gum and baking soda in a mixing bowl.

3)  Add the melted butter and mix until crumbly.  Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside.

4)  Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of pan.  Bake 15-18 minutes or until light golden brown.

5)  Meanwhile, combine caramel topping, remaining 1/4 cup flour and remaining 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  Drizzle over crust; carefully spread to edges.

6)  Add pecans and chocolate morsels to reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle evenly over caramel mixture.  Bake 16-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly around the edges.

7)  Remove from oven.  Cool completely and cut into 24 bars.

NOTES:

~I used old-fashioned oats.

~I did not use Bob's Red Mill Flour.  The gluten-free flour mix that I used is from the cookbook "Recipes for Gluten Free Kids", it's on my blog under Gluten Free Flour Mixes and it's titled "Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Blend" - just make sure you don't use the one that says "For Bread".  Also, for the flour blend, it says to use either Almond Flour or Coconut Flour; I use Coconut Flour in mine, but I'm sure either would be just fine.

~These are easier to cut when they are still a little warm.  I also recommend removing them from the pan when they are a little warm and transferring them to a container or covered plate for storage.  The caramel hardens, especially along the edges of the pan and it makes them hard to remove.

~When heating in the microwave, do so for no longer than 20 seconds and top with vanilla ice cream!