These dreamy caramel chocolate chip oat bar cookies taste just like the Potbelly Dream Bars, and they are so easy to make. Bake them once, and you'll be hooked!
If you've ever been to a Potbelly sandwich shop and eaten a dream bar, then you should already be very excited about this recipe. If not, then get excited, because these copycat dream bars are just that - absolutely dreamy! My family can't get enough of these delicious bars, and you won't be able to either. They're extremely addictive. You've been warned.
Why You'll Love These Caramel Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
Who doesn't love layers of caramel and chocolate between buttery, brown sugary oatmeal crust? These cookie bars taste just like Dream bars from Potbelly, and they couldn't be easier to make. The base mixture doubles as the crumb topping, so you just have to mix once and bake!
The Ingredients
- Brown sugar - For a classic rich cookie flavor. I like light brown sugar.
- Flour - I use whole wheat pastry flour in everything, including these bars, but all purpose works just as well.
- Oats - Use old fashioned rolled oats. Quick cooking oats will work in a pinch,
- Butter - For a buttery, delicious crust and topping! If you have salted butter, omit the salt in the crust.
- Baking powder, salt, vanilla - The usual suspects.
- Caramel sauce - Not something I typically use in my baking, but a must for these bars. You want a thick, spoonable sauce that comes in a jar, not the thin kind that comes in a bottle. I like to look for one without high fructose corn syrup and all the other junk that usually comes along with it. You could also make your own, such as my salted miso caramel sauce.
- Chocolate chips - It's not super important to measure the chocolate chips. Just layer a bunch on. I like to use dark chocolate chips, but semisweet are great too.
How To Make Potbelly Dream Bars
- Make the cookie mixture. This will be the crust base and the crumb topping. In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, oats, baking powder and salt.
- Add the melted butter and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Reserve about ¾ cup of the mixture for the topping. Press the rest into a lined or greased square baking dish.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baked crust from the oven and spread caramel sauce on top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, then the remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Tips For Success
- I prefer baking bars in a metal pan because they bake more evenly. If you're using a glass or ceramic dish, you may need to add a couple of minutes to the bake time.
- Be gentle when spreading on the caramel as you don't want to pull up the bottom crust. Drop a few spoonfuls across the top and let the heat melt the caramel for a moment before spreading with the back of the spoon.
- The caramel will look bubbly and liquid when you remove the bars from the oven. That's ok! It will firm up as the bars cool.
- If you like more toppings, feel free to add them with the caramel and chocolate chips. Coconut, walnuts or pecans would all be delicious!
More Delicious Dessert Bar Recipes
- Easy Lavender Lemon Bars
- Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars
- Chocolate Chunk Blondies (Bar Cookies)
- Apple Crumb Brown Butter Blondies
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!
PrintCaramel Chocolate Chip Oat Bars (Copycat Potbelly Dream Bars)
These dreamy caramel chocolate chip oat bar cookies taste just like the Potbelly Dream Bars, and they are so easy to make. Bake them once, and you'll be hooked!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour, but all purpose works too)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- ½ cup chocolate chips (I like dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour, baking powder and salt. Add vanilla extract and melted butter. Stir until the dry mixture is completely moistened.
- Reserve about ¾ cup of the crumble mixture for the topping, and tightly press the rest into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove crust from oven. Spread evenly with caramel sauce, then sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the caramel and chocolate. Bake an additional 15 minutes, or until topping is golden.
- Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into bars. The caramel will still look bubbly and loose when you take them out, but will set up as the bars cool.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Use a thick caramel sauce that comes in a jar (for ice cream), not the thin kind that comes in a squeeze bottle. If you feel so inclined, you can make your own, such as my salted miso caramel sauce.
- I find that these bars bake more evenly in a metal pan. If you're using a glass or ceramic dish, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- I like to keep the reserved crumb topping in the refrigerator while the bottom crust bakes. This keeps nice,, defined 'crumbs' as the topping bakes.
- Feel free to add anything else you like with the caramel and chocolate chips, such as walnuts, coconut, or pecans.
Keywords: potbelly dream bars, caramel chocolate chip oat bars, caramel chocolate chip oatmeal bar cookies
Paula Young says
What size pan?
Amanda says
How long are these good for after you make them? I plan on making them tonight. (:
★★★★★
Kaleigh says
They'll stay good for at least 3 or 4 days - if they last that long! 🙂
Brendan says
Any ideas on how I can make this using a bar tray (one with square cups)?
Kaleigh says
You would have to layer each individual cup with all of the layers.