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    Home > Recipes > Dessert

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars

    Published: Jan 29, 2021 · Modified: Mar 19, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 4 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    9.6K shares
    chocolate chip oatmeal cookie bars
    sliced oatmeal cookie bars on a sheet pan
    oatmeal cookie bars on a white table
    chocolate chip oatmeal cookie bars

    oatmeal cookie bars on a white table

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars are like a soft oatmeal cookie in bar form. These are baked in an 8x8 pan, use melted butter, and don’t require a mixer - easy and fast!

    Earlier this month I shared a recipe for healthy-ish Oatmeal Cookie Dough Energy Bites, but they were really just a prelude to these. Tender, chewy, no-mixer-required Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars. 

    Baked in an 8x8 pan, these bars make just enough for our family to enjoy for dessert with a couple left over for snacking the next day. There’s no waiting for butter to soften and no mixer required, making them the perfect thing to make tonight. You probably already have everything you need!

    Here’s how.

    oatmeal, chocolate chips, and candy in a glass bowl

    Ingredients

    • All-Purpose Flour - Weigh the flour if possible, but otherwise, just gently spoon it into the measuring cup. 
    • Brown Sugar - This recipe uses all brown sugar to keep the bars soft and give them a slightly chewy texture. Light or dark brown sugar work. 
    • Unsalted Butter - Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before baking. If using salted butter, just be sure to skip the added salt in the recipe. 
    • Oats - You’ll need regular oats for these bars - look for either “old-fashioned” or “rolled” oats.
    • Ground Cinnamon - As with oatmeal cookies, a small amount of ground cinnamon really helps to give these bars depth and highlights the chocolate flavor. 
    • Chocolate Chips or M&Ms - I like these with a mix of chocolate chips and M&Ms for some color and crunch. You can make the bars entirely with chocolate chips or entirely with M&Ms or with any other type of chocolate (see the recipe for ideas). 
    • Baking Powder, Kosher Salt, Large Egg, Pure Vanilla Extract - Standard baking ingredients. 

    putting cookie dough mix into a baking pan

    How to Freeze Cookie Bars

    Cookie bars freeze well. Once bars have cooled completely, slice them into individual portions. Wrap each portion in plastic and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to six months.

    These will defrost at room temperature in about an hour. Individually-wrapped cookie bars make great treats to add to lunch boxes!

    More 8x8 Desserts

    • Semolina Yogurt Cake
    • Easy Vanilla Snack Cake
    • One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
    • Applesauce Cake
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
    • Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

    Favorite Tools

    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls 
    • Parchment Paper Sheets
    • 8x8 Baking Pan

    oatmeal cookie bars

    chocolate chip oatmeal cookie bars
    Print Recipe
    4.53 from 38 votes

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars

    Chocolate chip oatmeal cookie bars are like a super soft oatmeal cookie in bar form. Change up the mix-ins, using chocolate chips and M&Ms as shown, or trying them with butterscotch chips or toasted chopped nuts.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time24 mins
    Total Time44 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Keyword: chocolate chip, cookie bars, easy snack
    Servings: 16 bars
    Calories: 230kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $3.00

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • 8x8 baking pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (1 cup flour = 125g)
    • ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 8 tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick)
    • 1 cup lightly packed Brown Sugar (light or dark will work) (1 cup sugar = 200g)
    • 1 large Egg
    • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
    • 1 cup Old Fashioned / Rolled Oats
    • 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (see note)
    • ½ cup M&Ms (see note)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper and / or spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
    • In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until evenly combined. Whisk in egg and vanilla.
    • Pour dry ingredients over wet and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until no dry spots remain (do not overmix.)
    • Gently stir in oats, chocolate chips, and M&Ms.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan, scattering any reserved mix-ins over top.
    • Bake 24 to 28 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. (Note: If cooked on the lower end of the bake time, these will be very soft and will stay moist for a couple of days. If you plan to serve them the same day as they were baked, bake at the higher end of the recommended cook time.)
    • Let cool in the pan until the bars can be easily removed. Once cool, slice and serve.
    • The bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    Notes

    Chocolate Chips and M&Ms - You can use both or just one of these. Reserve a few extra to scatter on the top if you’d like. If you’d like different fillings try butterscotch chips, chocolate chunks, or toasted pecans / walnuts. Just be sure the total amount of mix-ins add up to 1 ½ cups. 
    Glass or Ceramic Baking Pan - If using a glass or ceramic baking pan, the bars will take longer to bake. Expect to add about 5 minutes to the baking time.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

    *This post contains affiliate links*

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    9.6K shares

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ginger

      September 26, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      5 stars
      I only had chocolate chips and chopped nuts on hand, and they were delicious! Dangerously good. I had to freeze some the same day, otherwise I would've kept eating them! Haha!

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        September 29, 2021 at 3:07 pm

        These are dangerously addictive for sure!

        Reply
    2. Shelley

      March 16, 2023 at 1:17 pm

      5 stars
      These were excellent. The family loved them. I had to cook much less because I only have a 9 x 9 pan. I cooked them for 23 minutes and they were quite dark. My brown sugar was homemade and on the darker side. I would add less than 1 cup of chocolate chips next time.

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        March 16, 2023 at 8:02 pm

        I'm so glad you liked them! And good tip on the 9x9 pan - they would cook faster in that size pan.

        Reply

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