Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

A Better Homes & Garden Recipe

3 cups regular rolled oats
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. instant coffee crystals
2 tsps. vanilla
¾ cup caramel ice cream topping (I used Trader Joe’s Salted Caramel Sauce)
½ cup broken pecans
1 recipe Coffee Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.
In a large bowl stir together oats, flour, the 1 cup pecans, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, coffee crystals, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the oat mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining oat mixture with a wooden spoon. Reserve 2 cups of the mixture for the topping.

Using floured hands, press remaining oat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread with caramel topping to within ¼-inch of the edges. Drop spoonfuls of the reserved oat mixture topping onto caramel topping; sprinkle with the ½-cup pecans.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are set (do not overbake). Cool in pan on a wire rack. If desired, drizzle with Coffee Glaze. Let stand until glaze is set. Cut into bars.

Coffee Glaze

2 Tbsp. very hot milk
1 tsp. instant coffee crystals
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

In a small bowl combine very hot milk and instant coffee crystals; stir until dissolved. Stir in sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over bars in pan. Let stand 15 minutes to set glaze.

*posted with permission