Bake the Perfect Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars Right from Your Oven!
There are moments when only a warm, gooey chocolate bar that melts in your mouth will do. Personally, I prefer my bars slightly underbaked—soft enough to enjoy with a spoon. It’s even better when friends and family gather around the baking pan, forks in hand, ready to dive in together. Have you ever let everyone dig straight into the pan? It’s a memory-maker that the kids won’t forget and will definitely request again!
To achieve these irresistibly gooey oatmeal chocolate chip bars, simply bake them a few minutes less than the recipe suggests. Top a warm piece with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ve created a magical dessert everyone will love!
Rolled Oats vs. Quick Oats
In this recipe, I use old-fashioned rolled oats for their delightful consistency, texture, and flavor. As oatmeal enthusiasts, we appreciate what rolled oats bring to these bars. However, you can certainly use quick oats if that’s what you have on hand—most people won’t notice a significant difference!
Pro Tip: Ensure your baking pan is thoroughly prepared. I prefer using baking spray for this recipe, but you can also use homemade pan release (also known as GOOP). If you opt for GOOP, make sure to coat the sides of the pan as well to prevent sticking.
Homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
This recipe comes together quickly and is a fun treat for after-school snacks, bake sales, or special events. While I love using quality ingredients when possible, I also enjoy cleaning out my pantry! I’ve made these bars with different types of chocolate chips, quick oats, whole wheat flour, and even substituted all granulated sugar instead of brown sugar. No matter how I tweak the recipe, these oatmeal chocolate chip bars are a hit every time!
The beauty of this classic recipe is its flexibility—you can modify it to suit your tastes. Add raisins, chopped walnuts, white chocolate chips, caramel bits, or toffee pieces. Bake a batch now, let the family dig in, and then send the leftovers to school with the kids. This might just be one of the best things you do today!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 230 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (180 g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (170 g) milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan by spraying it with baking spray, lining it with parchment paper, or using the butter and flour method.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand-held mixer), beat the unsalted butter, packed light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the vanilla extract.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, all-purpose flour, rolled oats, and semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Spread half of the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle the milk chocolate chips evenly over the first layer.
- Carefully spread the remaining cookie mixture over the chocolate layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. The center should not jiggle much.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
Enjoy your homemade, gooey oatmeal chocolate chip bars! They’re perfect for sharing and are sure to become a family favorite.
