Next Post
Roasted Turmeric Chicken Pitas with Garlic Lemon Tahini.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Making Tuesday a little more special and sweet with these Gooey Chocolate Oatmeal Bars. These easy homemade oatmeal cookie bars with chocolate chunks and a warm gooey “caramel” like center are the perfect way to bring something delicious to the average weekday. They’re made with a mix of pantry ingredients…oats, flour, butter, maple, vanilla, and a reduced amount of sugar. Most importantly, everyone LOVES these bars…they’re easy to make, difficult to mess up…and they always turn out GREAT!
So, originally these were going to be last Friday’s dessert, but then at the last minute, I panicked and convinced myself that no-one would care about oatmeal bars. NO ONE. So I switched things up…and I LOVE the caramel cake I created so much. Like so much, it’s one of my favorite cakes. I’m so happy I came up with it.
But the funny thing? I sent the oatmeal bars I had made home for my family to enjoy. The next morning, all I heard about from every last person currently staying at their house was just how delicious they were.
I mean, I knew they were good, but I have to say I was a little shocked. Someone even said that these bars are their new favorite dessert. Sooo, I clearly needed to rethink my stance on these bars. And now? With pretty photos and a very ooey-gooey dessert bar to share…I AM EXCITED.
I think it was all meant to play out this way. We got cake on Friday, which was perfect. And easy, sweet oatmeal bars on Tuesday, which feels very right to me.
The Back Story
My mom would often bake up oatmeal cookies. These bars totally remind me of something she’d bake up on Friday nights. They feel very “old school”, just like Friday’s cake and I’m loving it.
The idea is based on the dessert bars known as Carmelitas…oatmeal bars with chocolate chips and caramel in the center. I don’t love, love caramel. Especially the overly sugary store-bought candies. So instead of using real caramel, I used my trusty maple-based “caramel” sauce. It’s just as good but much less sugary. And to be honest? We think it’s better than real caramel.
So I put my maple-based caramel in the middle of the oatmeal bars and created my own version of Carmelitas.
Not only are these really easy to make, but they’re a true delight. Especially if you have the privilege of enjoying one warm, right out of the oven. DELICIOUS.
Here are the simple details.
This recipe requires just one bowl, a pot, and a couple of spoons. It’s completely no-fuss. Start to finish these will take less than an hour. You can’t mess these bars up. They’re that easy and they always turn out great.
In your mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients. Now, add all of the wet ingredients. Mix away until you have a crumbly dough. Stir in plenty of dark chocolate chunks, then press about half the dough into a baking dish. Bake for a bit to help the bottom layer set.
While that layer is baking, make the gooey layer. I use maple for sweetness, butter for creaminess, and a pinch of salt to create a silky, smooth, sweet, and salty sauce. As soon as the bottom layer has finished baking, pour over the gooey sauce, then crumble on the remaining dough.
Now finish the baking…
Smell the wonderfulness? Do you see the melty chocolate?
I know that nothing is perfect, but these bars are pretty close. Every bite is just perfectly sweet, chocolatey, and very gooey. When you eat them a little warm, they’re truly addicting. Fair warning…the salt on top really does keep you going back for seconds and thirds.
What I love about these sweet bars is that they’re so easy to make. They require no chilling and truly take almost no time at all. AND…I usually have these ingredients on hand. So when it’s Friday night and the urge for a deliciously warm chocolatey treat comes on? These bars are easy to mix up and deliciously satisfy the urge.
They’re great for all these cold, cold snowy days many of us have been having! This is very cheesy of me to say, but they’ll really warm you right up!
Looking for other easy winter desserts? Here are some favorites.
Healthier Baked Hot Chocolate Doughnuts
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Lastly, if you make these Gooey Chocolate Oatmeal Bars be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Gooey Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
Servings: 12 bars
Calories Per Serving: 311 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
Gooey Caramel
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until the dough is moist and all the ingredients are combined. The dough will be crumbly. Mix in the chocolate chunks. Press half of the dough evenly into the bottom of a prepared baking dish. Bake 10 minutes.3. Meanwhile, make the "caramel". In a medium pot, melt together the butter, brown sugar, and maple over medium heat. Gently boil, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in a pinch of salt. 4. Remove the bars from the oven and pour the caramel over top. Crumble on the remaining oatmeal dough. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool completely, then cut into bars…or eat them while warm and gooey with a sprinkle of sea salt on top.
This post was originally published on February 23, 2021
Hi. Can you use gluten free oats and flour in this recipe?
Hey Lisa,
Yes, that should work well for you! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The caramel layer is lost during the second bake. It’s absorbed by the bottom and just come at super sweet. Of course still yummy, but a recipe fail. Maybe bake all the cookie layer completely and add caramel on top?
Hey David,
Sorry you had issues with the recipe, the caramel layer does get melty and gooey into the cookie, it really doesn’t stay as a hard layer. I hope this makes sense! xTieghan
I’m noticing what everyone is talking about. IT IS SO WEIRD. Here’s the thing…if you scroll up and look at the recipe and instructions BEFORE you hit print recipe, you will see there is NO baking powder mentioned for the Carmel sauce and an instruction to add a pinch of salt after removing sauce from heat. AS SOON AS YOU HIT PRINT…the recipe adds baking powder and salt. I’m guessing there is a glitch somewhere in the transfer, and I will only be adding that pinch of salt to the Carmel.
Hey Pam,
So sorry, there was a typo in the recipe, the recipe is now fixed, there is no baking powder in the caramel sauce. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wondering if you can sub the brown sugar with coconut sugar? They have similar consistency but just making sure!
Hey Dana,
Yes, that should work just fine for you! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love people that review recipes without making them . Seriously!!! Come on people. I just made this, because my 8 year old was bored and wanted to make something from scratch. I followed the directions exactly. Mixture was not crumbly, but rather soft. The caramel sauce is to die for…. the baking of the first layer perfection… as i write the review im anxiously waiting for it to come out of the oven… 12 minutes to go. The children faces are against the oven and my house smells amazing. . There are out and they are insanely delicious .. the flavor the look. We couldn’t resist so we made a mess and ate them with a spoon.. because we ate them as soon as they came out of the oven
Hey there,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Made these today and they are so ridiculously easy. Used old fashioned oats and i only had pure maple sugar, so used that instead of syrup in the caramel, and it worked just fine. Took me all of 10 minutes to whip up (minus baking time of course). Love these ooey gooey bars, they will now be in my regular baking repertoire.
Hey Daniella,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Yum.. These are decadent..While I wasn’t sure about how much baking pwd. to add to the caramel.. I just added 3/4 tsp.. and they turned out awesome.. Thanks again..
Hey Gail,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
What is the measurement for the Baking Powder?
Hey Katie,
So sorry for the confusion, there is not baking powder in the caramel sauce, the recipe has been fixed! xTieghan
Just making the caramel sauce but the baking powder is nowhere in the recipe! Help!
Hi Patti! I am so sorry, that was a typo. There is no baking powder in the recipe. Recipe all fixed. Thank you!
Hey Patti,
Sorry for the confusion, there is no baking powder in the caramel. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Your step by step instructions for the gooey caramel direct the baker to stir in the “baking powder and a pinch of salt.” Your ingredients list does not indicate how much baking powder. Love your recipes. Thanks for any updates!
Hi John! I am so sorry, that was a typo. There is no baking powder in the recipe. Recipe all fixed. Thank you!
Hey John,
Sorry the recipe has been fixed, there is no baking powder in the caramel sauce. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
They look delicious!! Can’t wait to make them 🙂 thank you!!
Thanks so much Beatriz! I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
They sound wonderful. How much baking powder do you use in the caramel ? It isn’t listed in the ingredients. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Hey Jay,
So sorry for the confusion, the recipe has been fixed, there is not baking powder in the caramel. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I don’t see a baking soda amount listed for the caramel sauce —??
Thee look great and on my list for today!
Hey Christina,
The recipe has been fixed, there is not baking soda in the caramel. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks Edie!
Stir in baking powder? I can’t find baking powder listed in the caramel ingredients.
.
Hey Jackie,
Sorry for the confusion, there is not baking powder in the caramel, the recipe has been adjusted. I hope you love them! xTieghan