This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are thick, soft, and loaded with chocolate! Easy to mix in one bowl and bake into the perfect chewy dessert.
If you love soft and chewy oatmeal cookies, these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are about to become your new favorite dessert. They’re thick, gooey, and packed with melty chocolate chips in every bite. The oats give them a hearty, comforting texture, while the buttery dough keeps everything tender and perfectly sweet.
I love making cookie bars, because they are incredibly easy they are to make. There is never any chilling of the dough, no scooping, and only one bowl required. Just mix the dough, press it into a pan, and bake until lightly golden around the edges.
Ingredients Needed
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in baking
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- All-Purpose Flour
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Pecans (optional)
How To Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Cream Butter. Start like you would if you were making traditional cookie dough. Cream together the butter and both sugars until it is light and fluffy. This can take a couple of minutes, so be patient.
- Beat Eggs. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until it is all well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients. Mix in the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt until it is well incorporated and looks like cookie dough.
- Mix-Ins. Next you fold in your chocolate chips, and nuts if you are using them.
- Bake. Press the dough into a 13×9 inch baking dish and bake until they are golden, the top appears dry and is completely set.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Temperature. 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.
- Dates. 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!
- Kind of Oats. Old Fashioned Oats help to give these bars their thickness and texture. Quick cooking oats work, but the texture and thickness will be slightly different.
- Measuring. 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.
- Baking Pan. 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 them thinner a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan works great. The bars in the pictures were made in a 13×9 in metal baking pan.
Storage
Cover the leftovers bars or transfer to an airtight container. They will last for a few days at room temperature. They also freeze really well. Let the bars cool completely and then tightly wrap and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Tasty Dessert Recipes
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In an electric mixer cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together until it is light and fluffy. This can take a couple minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Beat in eggs, and vanilla until the eggs are very well incorporated.2 whole eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add in the oats, flour, salt, and baking soda until well incorporated.1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 cups old fashioned oats, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Fold in chocolate chips and pecan if you are using them.2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, 1 1/2 cups pecans
- Spread in to a 15×10 inch pan for thinner bars, or a 13×9 for the bars shown in the pictures.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes for thin, closer to 35 minutes for thick. They will be golden brown, completely set and you can insert a toothpick to get mostly just crumbs to know they are done.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool before slicing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I created a fun group on Facebook,and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
.
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.
I wish you would have specified if the pan needed to be greased or not. I used a non-stick 9X13 pan and the bars stuck and were very hard along the edges of the pan. Since I had made them for a special event at church, I was very disappointed in the appearance and outcome of the bars.