Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are soft, chewy bar cookies made with pantry staples and baked in a single pan. With melty chocolate, hearty oats, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, they're an easy one-bowl dessert when you want something warm from the oven - without the fuss of scooping cookies.
These bars bake up chewy in the center with lightly crisp edges - just like your favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but easier.
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What to Love About These Cookie Bars
If you bake cookies often, you've probably found yourself asking the same familiar question: chocolate chip or oatmeal? These cookie bars bring the best of both together - with far less effort. Here's what to love about this easy dessert:
- Made in one bowl and one pan - minimal cleanup
- Soft and chewy with golden edges
- No mixer, chilling, or scooping required
- Uses pantry staples you likely already have
- Easy to slice for snacks, dessert, or sharing
If bar cookies are your favorite kind of dessert, you may also love my classic chocolate chip cookie bars, another easy one-pan bake.
Cookie Bar Ingredients
These cookie bars are made with simple pantry staples - nothing fancy or hard to find.
- Butter - melted for easy mixing.
- Sugar - a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar for flavor and chewy texture.
- Egg - 1 large egg.
- Vanilla extract - adds classic cookie flavor.
- Flour - all-purpose flour; use an all-purpose gluten-free blend if needed.
- Baking powder & baking soda - for structure and lift.
- Sea salt - fine sea salt for the dough, with optional flaky salt for finishing.
- Oats - old-fashioned oats for the best chewy texture.
- Chocolate chips - semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate all work well.
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Much like making cookies, these bar cookies contain similar ingredients. But instead of dolloping mounds of cookie dough and baking individually, it's made super easy by baking in one pan.
- Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla.
- Step 2: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips.
- Step 3: Spread the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan, pressing gently into the corners.
- Step 4: Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Let cool completely before slicing into squares.
Helpful Tips for the Best Cookie Bars
- Use a 9×9-inch pan for thick, chewy bars with lightly crisp edges.
- Avoid overbaking. The center should look just set when removed from the oven.
- For extra flavor, you can brown the butter before mixing - this step is optional but adds a lovely nutty richness.
- Let the bars cool completely before slicing for clean edges.
Recipe FAQs
Old-fashioned oats provide the best chewy texture. Quick oats can be used in a pinch but will result in softer, less structured bars.
The edges should be lightly golden while the center looks just set. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars soft and chewy.
How to Store Cookie Bars
Store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can also freeze the cookie bars for up to 2 months.
These cookie bars are an easy recipe when you want to bake from your pantry. If you love keeping a stocked pantry, be sure to see our guide on How to Reset Your Pantry, or check out our Sunday Edit No. 2 | The Pantry Reset for some of my favorite pantry resources.
More Cookie Bar Recipes You Will Also Love
- Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
- Nordstrom Royal Cookies (Coconut Royale Cookies)
- Ginger Spice Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Coffeehouse Vonnies)
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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter melted
- 1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir until just combined, don't over-mix. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and spread it to the edges. You can use your fingers to lightly press the dough into the corners of the pan to make sure the dough is even.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the bars are set and golden brown. Don't over-bake the bars; they will continue setting up as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the bars cool before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
- Pan size matters. A 9×9-inch pan creates thick, chewy cookie bars. Using a larger pan will result in thinner bars that bake more quickly.
- Avoid overbaking. The edges should be lightly golden and the center just set when you remove the pan from the oven. The bars will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Optional flavor upgrade. For a deeper, nuttier flavor, you may brown the butter before mixing. Let it cool slightly before adding the sugars. This step is optional but adds wonderful richness.
- Use old-fashioned oats. Old-fashioned oats provide the best chewy texture. Quick oats can be used in a pinch but will produce softer bars.
- Let the bars cool completely. Cooling fully before slicing helps create clean edges and prevents the bars from crumbling.
- Finish with flaky salt. A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt after baking enhances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavor.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Can this recipe be doubled for a 13x9 baking pan?
Yes, the cook bars can definitely be made in a 9x13 inch pan. Instead of doubling the recipe, use these measurements:
1 cup butter
1 1/4 light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 rsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups oats
2 cups chocolate chips
Follow the recipe directions and bake in a 350F oven for 25-30 minutes. Let them cool completely before cutting. This should make about 24 squares.
Can these bars be made gluten free using a 1:1 gluten free flour?
Yes, 1:1 gluten free flour should work great!
Can I use whole wheat flour in the oatmeal chocolate chip bars?
Hi Lynda, you can definitely substitute whole wheat flour in this recipe. My preference is a white whole wheat or golden wheat flour, but regular whole wheat works too. It may change the flavor and texture slightly. You can also use a 50/50 blend of both-- either way, they're delicious!