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Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Are soft, chewy and delicious! Made in one bowl, this oatmeal cookie bars recipe is ready in minutes and is perfect for a quick dessert or sweet treat anytime!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
I’m all about easy desserts and sweet treats, and not only are this one-bowl oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars recipe easy, but the bars are also incredibly delicious. These easy cookie bars are soft, chewy and loaded with chocolate chips — everything bar cookies should be, right?
The inspiration for these oatmeal cookie bars came from my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe. My family loves those cookies, and they go fast! So, I decided to turn it into an easy bar cookie recipe. The best thing about making this easy recipe for oatmeal cookie bars, or any cookie bars, is it’s so much faster than making individual cookies. You just spread the dough in one pan, bake, and in about 25 minutes, you’re ready to dive in!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to make the oatmeal bars. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Butter — I always use salted, but unsalted butter will work. Let it soften a bit at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Brown sugar and white sugar — This combo sweetens the bars and helps keep them soft.
- Eggs — binds the dough
- Vanilla extract — adds flavor
- Flour — all purpose
- Sea salt — cuts the sweetness and flavors the dough
- Baking soda — a leavening agent
- Cinnamon — for extra flavor
- Oats — Either quick oats or old fashioned oats work here. Old fashioned will add more of a chewy texture, while quick cooking oats will have more of a softer texture.
- Chocolate chips — I use semi sweet, but use your favorite variety here. My personal favorites are Trader Joe’s, Guittard and Ghirardelli
How to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
First, cream your butter until nice and creamy. You can use an electric mixer or stand mixer for this. Then, add sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon until just combined. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips using a rubber spatula, and press the cookie dough into a metal baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 25 minutes, and allow to cool before slicing into bars. I couldn’t even wait until these chocolate chip oatmeal cookie bars were cool — you can see how that gorgeous chocolate is just oozing out!
Storage
Store the cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh for 3-4 days. Add a slice of sandwich bread to make them stay soft a little longer. You can freeze the bars in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags for up to 3 months. They freeze and thaw very well.
Recipe Tips
If using a glass baking dish, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Don’t over bake. The bars are done when the edges are golden brown and the middle is firm, but not hard. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bars should be mostly clean, although you will see some melted chocolate.
Top with flaked salt for extra flavor or use seasonal candies for different holidays.
More Easy Cookie Bars
Love bar cookies? Try my sugar cookie bars or old fashioned lemon bars or super easy chocolate chip bars or oatmeal peanut butter bars or these double chocolate bars next!
Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened at room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 2 cups rolled oats or quick cooking
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup butter until creamy
- Add brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until creamy
- Add eggs, and beat well. Gradually mix in the flour, then add baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon, and mix well
- Stir in the oats, and mix until just combined, then stir in chocolate chips
- Line a 9 x 13-inch metal baking dish with parchment paper, or grease well, and press the cookie dough evenly into the pan
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the corners start to turn golden brown and the a toothpick inserted into the center is mostly clean. Baking time may vary depending on your oven
- Remove pan from oven, allow to cool, then lift parchment paper out of pan, and slice into squares.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi, sorry I’m late to the party. I just wondered, what is the amount of chocolate chips that should be used? I don’t see it listed in the recipe. I would really be make these. My guess would be 2 cups, but I don’t want to get it wrong. Thanks for your help!
The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips — it’s near the bottom of the ingredient list. You can always add another 1/2 cup of chips if you want. 🙂
So easy. And delicious. Brought them to work and everyone loved them.
That’s wonderful, Stacey! Glad everyone liked them. 🙂
Had to make these right away! Love anything oatmeal. They were simple and GREAT!
So glad you liked these cookies, James! Thanks!
These would disappear in our house!
My family will go crazy over these bars. The perfect way to satisfy our sweet tooth!
Thanks, Catalina. My family loves these!
Since there are oats in here, I think I could convince myself they are an acceptable breakfast. 😉 They look great!
Thanks! Actually, I may have sampled these for breakfast! 🙂
Oh my. Made these yesterday and they are GOOD. This is definitely going in my keeper box. Thanks for a delicious treat!
So glad you liked these oatmeal bars, Chrissie! Thanks!
So much fun to add to the Christmas cookie tray this year!!
These are seriously mouth watering! I’m craving for these right now, can’t wait to try it!
Thanks so much! I hope you like them. 🙂
These are so good! Such a great idea to add colorful m&ms to make it festive too.
Thanks! The candy makes them perfect for Christmas baking! 🙂