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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars – thick and chewy cookie bars that are loaded with chocolate chips, oats, and a great way to feed a crowd!
I have always been a sucker for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie that is thick, gooey, soft, chewy and just delicious. Especially when you get them fresh out of the oven and the chocolate is still melty.
But sometimes you really want to mix this up. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are a classic staple, so turning them into a bar that is thick and chewy is a good idea! Plus when you don’t have to bake tray after tray of cookies, it makes things even easier!
I love making cookie bars, because they are just so much faster and easier than actual cookies. The cookie dough is fast to make, but you have one pan baking, and then you are done. No scooping dough, you don’t have to let it chill, and no multiple trays going in and out of the oven. Just quick, easy, and dessert is done.
What’s In Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Flour
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip
- Pecans (optional)
I am not usually a nuts in dessert type person, but pecans work really well in these if like nuts in your desserts. Walnuts would work great as well.
How To Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Start like you would if you were making traditional cookie dough. Cream together the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until it is all well combined.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until it is well incorporated and looks like cookie dough.
- Next you fold in your old fashioned oats, chocolate chips, and nuts if you are using them.
- Press the dough into a 13×9 inch baking dish and bake until they are golden, the top appears dry and is completely set.
You do need to let them cool before slicing. If you slice when they are still warm they will fall apart and make a mess.
What Pan To Use For Cookie Bars
For this recipe it depends on how thick you want your bars. For a thick bar use a 13×9 inch baking pan. If you want slightly thinner a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan works great. The bars in the pictures were made in a 15×10 in metal baking pan.
Recipe Tips
- When making any cookie dough you really want to start with room temperature butter. It isn’t only about getting it broken up and mixing with the brown sugar, it is about creaming them together. And this happens when the butter is at the right temperature.
- Make sure to check the date on your baking soda. Baking soda expires much faster than people realize. And it can be part of the reason why cookies don’t turn out quite right.
- Nuts are 100% optional. You can use pecan or walnuts if you like or just leave them out. That is totally up to you!
- Old Fashioned Oats help to give these bars their thickness and texture. Quick cooking oats work, but it isn’t quite the same.
- Be sure to measure your flour correctly or your bars may be dense and hard. You want to spoon the flour into a measuring cup and gently level it off with a knife. You don’t want to pack any extra in there or the bars could be dry.
More Tasty Dessert Recipes To Try
- Strawberry Brownies
- Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes
- Brookies
- M&M Brownies
- Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Magic Cookie Bars
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In an electric mixer cream butter and brown sugar together. Add eggs, and vanilla; mix well.
- Mix in flour, salt, and baking soda until well incorporated.
- Fold in oats, chocolate chips, and pecans.
- Spread in to a 15×10 inch pan for thinner bars, or a 13×9 for thick bars.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes for thin, closer to 30-40 for thick.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool before slicing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These look so inviting, Erin!
Made these today and just had a taste. Yum!
Making for church picnic but may save some for freezer. Directions and tips are excellent. I made in jelly roll pan and will serve lots! THANK YOU
These are nice and chewy. I’d make them again with some changes. I made them in a 15×10 jelly roll plan so they were thin. 20 mins baking time was too long; they were overbaked and the edges were burnt. I’d start checking them at 15. I would also reduce the oatmeal to no more than 2 cups.