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This recipe for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars is one we make every year during the holidays–but you can make them any time! With only six ingredients, they are easy to make. Caramel candies, evaporated milk, butter, pecans, chocolate chips, and a German Chocolate Cake Mix. So delicious!

(Recipe post modified on 11/30/23.)

Some folks call these Snicker Bars, although they use pecans rather than peanuts. Whatever you want to call them, I encourage you to make some this year. They will disappear quickly, and your family will love you for it!

I love making these bar cookies when we have family stay with us during the holidays. They are the perfect sweet to end the day, or maybe snack on during the afternoon. Slice them small, as they are quite rich. They are also wonderful for potluck dinners or finger food receptions.

Our family loves these chocolate caramel bars. They rarely last more than two days, and are a perfect choice for family gatherings, or for watching a football game with friends.

Want More Bar Cookie Ideas?

Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

caramels
evaporated milk
German Chocolate Cake Mix
butter
chopped pecans
bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions on Making This Recipe

Ingredients for this Recipe Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand. Spray an oblong cake pan with baking spray.

Prepare the Ingredients

Using a nut chopper or knife, chop pecans.

Unwrap caramels and place in a microwavable bowl.

Unwrapping the individual caramels is the most time-intensive part of this recipe. If you have little kiddos at home, this is the perfect job for them!

Add 1/3 cup evaporated milk to the microwavable bowl of caramels and heat in microwave for 4-6 minutes until melted and smooth, stirring every 1-2 minutes.

Bake the Cookie Crust

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cake mix, remaining evaporated milk, and melted butter. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

Press half of cake mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes.

Prepare the Toppings

Remove the pan from the oven, and sprinkle 2/3 cup of chopped pecans and chocolate chips over crust.

If you don’t have pecans, you may use chopped English walnuts. Also, for this recipe I’ve used semi-sweet chocolate chips as well as milk chocolate. My husband loves it with the milk chocolate, so it’s your choice. If you have a preference of chocolate, use what you like!

Pour melted caramel over the pecans and chocolate chips, spreading to edges of the pan.

Spoon teaspoonfuls of remaining cake mixture over the melted caramel. Press gently into the caramel. Sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans, pressing lightly into the top.

Bake and Serve

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until cookie is set. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Because the caramel tends to set hard, I like to go around the edges with a knife or spatula to loosen it from the sides of the pan a few minutes after it comes out of the oven. Then I’ll finish cutting the bars after the bars have cooled.

This recipe will make 20-24 bars. Because they are such a rich bar cookie, I like to cut them into small slices.

View more Holiday Baking Ideas Here. See more Bars and Cookies Here. Browse Chocolate Recipes Here.

Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars

This recipe for Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars is one we make every year during the holidays--but you can make them any time! With only six ingredients, they are easy to make. Caramel candies, evaporated milk, butter, pecans, chocolate chips, and a German Chocolate Cake Mix.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 26

Total Time 46

Serving Size 24

Equipment

Ingredients

11 oz. caramels
2/3 cups evaporated milk divided
1 box German Chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup chopped pecans divided
6 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric