Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars
on Sep 08, 2021, Updated Jul 05, 2024
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Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars are thick, chewy and loaded with chunks of dark chocolate! All the flavor of chocolate chip cookies, but even easier to make!
Thanks to my friends at Endangered Species Chocolate for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions are my own.
Do you prefer cookies or bars? I know, that’s a hard question to answer. I love them both, but when it comes to baking them, I tend to prefer making bars.
I feel like there’s less chance for error when you make bars. They can’t spread all over the pan or not spread at all, like cookies are notorious for doing. That little 8×8 square pan prevents all this from happening.
Another bonus to making cookie bars versus cookies is that you don’t have to chill the dough or scoop them out into individual balls. Just press the cookie dough into the pan and it’s ready to go into the oven.
I’m a big fan of soft and chewy oatmeal cookies, so I couldn’t resist making the Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars. Just like my favorite cookie, they’re soft, chewy, loaded with oats, have hints of cinnamon and vanilla, and big chunks of Endangered Species oat milk, sea salt and almond dark chocolate bar.
If you’re living in Colorado, the Endangered Species oat milk, sea salt and almond dark chocolate bar is now available at King Soopers. This is a great chocolate bar to try out if you’re looking for a dairy free or plant based option or love the flavor of oat milk.
This was my first time trying chocolate that used oat milk as a dairy substitute and I loved the flavor! You could definitely taste the oat flavor, but it doesn’t overpower the chocolate. If you’re someone who tends to favor milk chocolate over dark, then you’ll likely appreciate the way the oat milk tames the more intense flavor and slight bitter note that dark chocolate has.
For this recipe I opted to use their oat milk chocolate bar that includes almonds and sea salt. I absolutely love salty sweet combinations and knew this would be a great choice for the oatmeal cookie bars. Endangered Species Chocolate doesn’t contain any additives or artificial sweeteners and use only responsibly sourced ingredients.
Aside from how good these bars taste, I love the mission of Endangered Species Chocolate. They’re helping to make an impact for wildlife and habitats around the globe by donating 10% of their annual net profits to organizations who support their mission. Any chocolate that works to make a positive difference for wildlife, habitats and communities around the world gets a stamp of approval from me!
Ingredients For Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars
- white whole wheat flour
- rolled oats
- ground cinnamon
- baking powder, baking soda, salt
- coconut oil
- dark brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- Endangered Species oat milk, sea salt and almond dark chocolate bar.
How To Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars
As I mentioned above, these cookie bars are so easy to make. You can make them with a stand mixer like I did, but it’s not necessary. Start by preheating the oven and spraying an 8×8 metal baking pan with cooking spray. I lined the bottom of the pan with parchment paper so the bars would release easier, but it isn’t necessary.
Combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer combine the melted coconut oil, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat them on medium-high speed for a couple minutes, until they’re combined. If you’re doing it by hand just whisk together until well incorporated.
Add the egg and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat again for about a minute until they’re fully incorporated. Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet and beat on low speed just until combined. If you’re doing this by hand switch from a whisk to a rubber spatula.
Cut the chocolate bar into chunks and then stir them into the cookie dough. Dump the dough into the baking pan and press into an even layer. If the dough is sticking to your hands or spatula dampen them with a little water or spray lightly with cooking spray.
Bake the bars on the middle rack of the oven for 18-21 minutes. 18-19 minutes of baking will leave them slightly under baked, which is what I prefer. The center of the bars is softer and a touch gooey, but not raw by any means. When the bars come out of the oven sprinkle them with flaky sea salt and let them cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting them.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bars will keep for 3 days in an airtight container on the countertop or in the refrigerator before they start getting dry.
Cool completely and cut them into bars. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they are frozen, about 1-2 hours. Place the frozen bars in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
All purpose flour or regular whole wheat flour may be used. Be aware that regular whole wheat flour will have a nuttier taste and may produce a slightly drier texture. You can also use a combination of all purpose and whole wheat flour.
More Recipes Using Chocolate
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cake
- Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins
- Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Cherry Vanilla Dark Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Coconut Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins
Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ounces Endangered Species Oat Milk Sea Salt and Almonds Dark Chocolate, cut into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8×8 metal baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the coconut oil and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until combined. Add in the egg and vanilla beat on medium speed for another minute.
- Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet and beat just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chunks. Dump the dough into the prepared baking pan and use the rubber spatula or your hands to spread and press the dough evenly into the pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 18-20 minutes. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
