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Sweets by Elise

Home » Bars + Bark

January 14, 2023 1 Hour

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are the chewiest and softest cookie bars ever. They are bursting with chocolate flavor, have the best texture from the oats, and are super easy to make!

stack of oatmeal chocolate chip bars.
Contents hide
1 Why You'll Love These Cookie Bars
2 Ingredients
3 Step by Step Process
4 Frequently Asked Questions
5 Storing
6 Expert Tips
7 Related Recipes
8 Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
8.1 Description
8.2 Ingredients
8.3 Instructions
8.4 Notes
8.5 Did you make this recipe?

I am a cookie bar... fiend. These Chewy M&M Cookie Bars are BY FAR the most popular recipe on my blog because they are so soft, moist, and have the perfect crunch from the M&Ms. I also love these Lemon Cookie Bars because they are sooo refreshing! Check out these Funfetti Cookie Bars for a super fun and sprinkle-filled cookie bar!

Why You'll Love These Cookie Bars

  • super quick and easy preparation
  • soft, chewy, and fudgy texture
  • simple to make ahead and freeze
  • perfect for all gatherings all year around
cookie bars ingredients in glass bowls.

Ingredients

  • Unsalted Butter: You'll need room temperature butter sticks for this recipe! If you need to use salted butter, decrease the salt to ¼ teaspoon.
  • Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: Together, both light brown sugar and granulated sugar create soft, chewy, and sweet cookie bars.
  • Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract rounds out the flavor of the bars.
  • Eggs: 3 large eggs at room temperature contribute to structure and chewiness.
  • All Purpose Flour: Regular, plain, all purpose flour that is measured properly using a kitchen scale or through the spoon and level method creates soft bars.
  • Old Fashioned Oats: Rolled or old fashioned oats are the best to use in this recipe and create a perfect texture!
  • Corn Starch: Corn starch is the secret ingredient for an ultra soft and chewy texture.
  • Baking Soda: Baking soda is the leavening agent that helps these bars rise in the oven. DO NOT substitute with baking powder.
  • Salt: Salt brings out sweetness and enhances flavor.
  • Chocolate Chips: A combination of mini and regular chocolate chips of all different flavors creates depth in the bars, but whatever you have and whatever you like will work great!

Step by Step Process

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil to ensure the bars come out cleanly.

metal bowl with granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and butter.
metal bowl with creamed butter and sugars with eggs and vanilla extract on top.

STEP 2: In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with the paddle attachment, mix room temperature butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth.

STEP 3: Add vanilla extract to the batter before adding the eggs one at a time until combined throughout.

Wet batter with all purpose flour and oats on top.
mixed batter with chocolate chips on top.

STEP 4: Slowly, add the all purpose flour, old fashioned rolled oats, corn starch, baking soda, and salt into the dough. Mix on low speed, and only mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

STEP 5: Add chocolate chips to the batter and mix until combined. Batter will be thick but smooth.

oatmeal chocolate chip bar dough in a pan.
oatmeal chocolate chip dough with chocolate chips on top in a pan.

STEP 6: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Spread the batter with the knife to make sure the bars cook evenly. Then, top the batter with additional chocolate chips as desired.

STEP 7: Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the sides of the bars are deep golden brown and the middle is light golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with some crumbs and batter because the bars will continue to cook as they cool.

array of sliced oatmeal chocolate chip bars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use quick oats?

I recommend using rolled or old fashioned oats in this recipe for the best texture!

How do I freeze these bars?

You can freeze these bars after they have baked and fully cooled. You can freeze the entire pan, unsliced, by wrapping the cooled

diagonal row of cookie bars.

Storing

These cookie bars should be stored in an airtight container, tightly covered, or individually wrapped. You can keep them-

  • at room temperature for up to 7 days
  • in the freezer for up to 4 months

If you are baking these ahead and freezing, you can leave them out at room temperature or reheat them in the microwave until desired for an ooey gooey texture.

sliced chocolate chip cookie bars.

Expert Tips

  • Room temperature butter is crucial for best results in this recipe. Simply leave your butter out 1-2 hours before baking. If you forget, cut your butter into tablespoon slices. Then, place the pieces in the microwave for 10 seconds before flipping each piece over and microwaving for another 10 seconds.
  • For soft and chewy cookie bars, use a measuring scale to measure 350g of flour exactly or by using a spoon to transfer flour from your container to your measuring cups before using a knife to sweep across the top and level it.
  • Bake only until the top is golden brown in color and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some crumbs and batter. Overbaking will lead to dry bars.

Related Recipes

M&M COOKIE BARS
LEMON COOKIE BARS
FUNFETTI COOKIE BARS
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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Elise
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 9x13 pan 1x
  • Category: Cookie Bars, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
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Description

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are the chewiest and softest cookie bars ever. They are bursting with chocolate flavor, have the best texture from the oats, and are super easy to make!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (230g) light brown sugar
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs (150g), room temperature
  • 2 ½ (350g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 2 cups (160g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon (9g) corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (4g) salt
  • 1 cup (180g) chocolate chips (180g)
  • ½ cup (100g) mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil to ensure the bars come out cleanly.
  2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with the paddle attachment, mix room temperature butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth. Mix for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is lighter and color and slightly fluffy in texture.
  3. Add vanilla extract to the batter before adding the eggs one at a time. Thoroughly mix between adding each egg to make sure the batter is smooth and fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  4. Slowly, add the all purpose flour, old fashioned rolled oats, corn starch, baking soda, and salt into the dough. Mix on low speed. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Do not overmix the batter- just mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
  5. Add chocolate chips to the batter and mix until combined. Batter will be thick but smooth.
  6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Spread the batter with the knife to make sure the bars cook evenly. Top the batter with additional chocolate chips as desired.
  7. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the sides of the bars are deep golden brown and the middle is light golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with some crumbs and batter. The bars will continue to cook as they cool. Allow the bars to cool before slicing.

Notes

Storing: Store the bars in an airtight container, tightly covered, or individually wrapped for up to 1 week at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Oats: Make sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats for best texture!

Keywords: Oatmeal Cookie Bars, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sweetsbyeliseblog on Instagram!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Elizabeth McGee says

    January 16, 2023 at 5:02 pm

    These are delicious, and easy to put together! I usually make cookies, so making bars was new for me and a nice change. I love oatmeal chocolate chip, and the fam was happy with a Sunday night surprise. Thanks, Elise!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Elise says

      January 16, 2023 at 5:22 pm

      Thank you so much, Elizabeth! This means so much to hear!

      Reply
  2. Nancy Ann Provan says

    January 17, 2023 at 3:58 am

    These were easy and SO delicious. Very moist, chewy and chocolatey. Definitely a new family favorite.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Elise says

      January 17, 2023 at 7:56 pm

      Thank you so much, Nancy!

      Reply
  3. Kimberly Miller says

    February 18, 2023 at 11:37 pm

    This recipe is consistently excellent. I've made these oatmeal chocolate chip bars three times and they are a HUGE hit. Much less time consuming than cookies and DELICIOUS. They are seriously addictive ! Note... You can also make the dough ahead, spread it in the pan, and refrigerate until the next day when you have time to bake them. Thanks, Elise. This is a game changer for me!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Elise says

      February 19, 2023 at 10:36 pm

      Thank you so much, Kimberly! SO glad you've enjoyed using this recipe! Love the idea of refrigerating the dough 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kelsey says

    March 27, 2023 at 4:10 pm

    These are my favorite cookie bars to make because they are so easy and versatile. I can add anything left over or laying around for a different style treat each time - Oreos, Reese's, PB or Butterscotch Chips, etc. I have made these multiple times for and cut them into smaller squares for a quick grab at a party. I plan to make another batch for my maternity leave to help with milk supply (and my sanity). Thank you so much for sharing!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Elise says

      March 28, 2023 at 12:47 am

      Yay yay yay! Thank you, Kelsey!

      Reply

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Hi, friends! I'm Elise- a recent university graduate who loves all things sweet. I am the baker, recipe developer, photographer, and writer behind Sweets by Elise. I'm here to bring you easy, quick, and approachable recipes that are comforting and indulgent!

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