These delicious oatmeal chocolate chip bars are made with rolled oats, brown sugar and mini chocolate chips. They’re an easy-to-make version of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They’re chewy, sweet and delicious. These cookie bars are perfect for snacks, lunch-boxes and taking on-the-go.
If you’re a fan of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but not a fan of the whole cookie making process, you’ll love this recipe. You mix your ingredients in one bowl, pour them into a baking dish, and bake.
You may also like our Flourless Peanut Butter, Banana, Oatmeal, Chocolate-Chip Cookies.
If you have toddlers or preschoolers who love to bake, this is a great recipe to make with them. Did I mention they’re delicious? They’re like a classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in a square, and that thrills me because I love a good non-traditional cookie.
Written for Happy Hooligans by Aileen Clark from Aileen Cooks.
This recipe is loosely based off of my recipe for peanut butter cup cookie bars. I switched out some of the flour for rolled oats to make this yummy recipe.
I love this recipe because it is kid-friendly to make and eat. The preparation for these cookie bars takes only a few minutes, so it’s a great recipe to make with toddlers and preschoolers. They’ll learn how to measure, mix, spread, and even crack eggs with this recipe.
I took advantage and made this recipe with my youngest (18 months old) while her brother and sister were in school. My kids love helping me in the kitchen but my youngest often feels left out because she is the littlest. It was nice to get her in the kitchen with me, one-on-one.
Baking with Toddlers
My #1 tip for cooking with your kids is to mentally prepare for a mess. Messes are okay. That’s how kids learn. It’s also okay to not like a mess. I am choosy about when I cook with my kids because I have to be okay with them spilling ingredients on the floor. Our current rule is I will say “yes” if it is a weekend.
If you are looking for tips on getting your kids in the kitchen, I have a long list of ideas on my post about cooking with kids.
Ingredients for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this post
- 2/3 cup melted butter
- 1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A note on the brown sugar
This recipe calls for light brown sugar. If all you have on hand is dark brown sugar, that is totally fine. Don’t feel you need to run to the store for light brown sugar. These cookie bars will be just as delicious with a different shade of brown sugar.
Making your cookie bars
The first step calls for mixing the melted butter with the brown sugar.
I put my butter in a microwave-safe bowl (cereal bowl sized) and melted it. I immediately mixed in the brown sugar with a fork. The melted butter will want to separate at the top. Keep mixing and it will eventually combine.
I mixed up the wet ingredients without my daughter, and measured out all of the dry ingredients before I invited her to help. I had the dry ingredients ready in a bowl with a rubber spoon. She loved stirring up the dry ingredients and was very excited to help get them into the baking dish.
This recipe was relatively low mess considering I let my toddler make it with me.
We had so much fun baking our oatmeal chocolate chip bars. My older kids were really excited to taste them when they got home from school, too.
Storing your cookie bars
To store your cookie bars, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer bars to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
More great cookie recipes to make with kids:
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup melted butter
- 1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until fully combined. The butter will want to rise up around the edges. Keep mixing until a paste is formed. Using a fork or whisk is best. Let cool slightly.
- Combine the rolled oats, flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Once the butter-sugar paste has cooled (warm is fine, you just don't want piping hot), whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in your wet ingredients.
- Mix until no longer dry.
- Pour your oatmeal chocolate chip bar batter into the greased baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Let cool for at least 20 minutes prior to serving.
Nutrition
Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Cyd karkin
My husband is making these as I write. If kids can do a good job, just maybe. . . I’ll let you know.