Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 square baking pan with foil and generously spray with cooking spray.
Melt the butter and add the brown sugar and vanilla, whisking until thoroughly combined.
Add the flour, oats, baking soda, pinch of salt and stir until mixed. This will be a thick mixture.
Place half the oatmeal mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan and spread with your fingers to cover the bottom. It will be a very thin layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
While the bottom layer is baking make the caramel center.
Combine the caramel bits and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and starting for a minute on high melt. Remove and stir and continue this until all the caramels are soft and you can stir it to a smooth consistency.
When the 10 minutes is up, take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips all over then pour the caramel sauce over that.
With the remaining oatmeal mixture take small pieces and flatten out slightly and lay on top of the caramel layer. (there will be small spaces left without any)
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the edges have started to brown and the caramel is bubbly.
Remove from oven to cool and place in refrigerator for several hours to set.
Remove foil from pan and peel away from edges, then cut in desired shape/size pieces.
These would be delicious warmed up and served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and even a drizzle of caramel sauce or hot fudge.
