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Making Friday even sweeter with these Healthier Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars. These one-bowl homemade oatmeal cookie bars with dark chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt are the perfect way to end the week. They’re super easy and made a touch healthier with a mix of whole grain oats, whole wheat flour, coconut or olive oil, and a reduced amount of sugar. But most importantly, everyone LOVES these oatmeal bars! Plus, they’re pretty difficult to mess up…they always turn out GREAT.
Going back to my childhood roots with these oatmeal cookie bars. For any of you that know anything about my mom, you know that when my brothers and I were growing up, she’d have dessert on the table before dinner was even a thought. Her staples were chocolate chip cookies, special K-bars, chocolate cake, and her famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that she’s been making ever since her friend Lora gave her the recipe (before I was even born).
Oh her cookies. My memories of them are so fond and perfect. We’d always eat them a little warm and gooey right after baking and always with a cold glass of milk. Very classic, right? To this day, these are some of my favorite memories. Baking in the kitchen with mom and zero brothers around.
Fun fact? My purpose in life as a kid was to figure out a way to get mom all to myself without any of my five brothers. It was tricky, but when I made it happen I loved every minute of our one-on-one time.
Anyway, when my mom wasn’t feeling like baking her round chocolate cookies, she’d make oatmeal cookie bars. Her recipe is EASY and it’s the BEST. You simply cannot beat a one large bowl, ten-minute prep, and pantry staple cookie bar.
Mom would make her oatmeal cookie bars once a week. And there were definitely many weeks she’d make them twice. When a recipe is as easy and as delicious as her bars, it becomes a staple in the kitchen. But here’s the truth. Over the years I’ve adapted her recipe, making small tweaks here and there to adjust them to be a little bit healthier and taste maybe even better?
Maybe…
It’s hard to beat an oatmeal cookie bar baked by my mom, but these healthier dark chocolate chunk oatmeal cookie bars come very, very close.
Here are the very simple details.
This recipe requires just one bowl and a spoon…no mixer. It’s completely no-fuss, and takes ten minutes to toss together. You can’t mess these bars up. They are practically foolproof.
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 fo dark chocolate chunks, then press the dough into a baking dish. Bake twenty minutes and sprinkle with flaky sea salt once you remove them from the oven.
Smell the wonderfulness? Do you see the melty chocolate?
I don’t love the word perfect, but these oatmeal cookies are pretty close to it.
A few notes and keys to success…
Normally I’m all for butter, but with this cookie recipe there is no sub…oil is what works best, and is a bit healthier too. Over the years I’ve discovered that you can use melted coconut (which I prefer) or extra virgin olive oil (which is also delicious but adds a little flavor to the cookie).
To make these a heartier cookie, I replaced half of the white flour with whole wheat flour and reduced the sugar by half. And of course, was sure to stir in plenty of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate.
Oh, and you can’t forget a nice dusting of flaky sea salt. You don’t have to, but it sure is good…
One thing I do want to note is that these cookie bars are crumbly. It’s just the way they are, and it’s apart of what makes them delicious. So embrace the crumbly cookie bar. Promise you, it’s so good.
What I love about these cookies is that they’re so easy to make. They require no chilling and truly take just thirty minutes from start to finish. I almost always have these ingredients on hand. So when it’s Friday night and the urge for a delicious yet slightly healthier chocolatey cookie comes on? These cookies are always what I bake. Always.
They’re just perfectly crisp on the edges but soft and gooey in the middle. The best kind of cookie.
Bake these tonight, or sometime this weekend. Then make them again whenever you’re craving something sweet. Perfect for any time of the year bar, and such a great staple recipe. Hope you ENJOY!
Looking for other healthier desserts for the weekend? Some favorites…
Healthy…ish Homemade Samoas Cookies
Fudgy Avocado Brownies with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Lastly, if you make these healthier dark chocolate chunk oatmeal cookie 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!
Healthier Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 262 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
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2-3/4 cup light brown sugar, us more for a sweeter cookie (I use only 1/2 cup)
- 1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar, us more for a sweeter cookie (I use only 1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup melted coconut oil (see notes)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or line with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the oatmeal, flour, whole wheat flour brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, coconut oil, 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. 3. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. It will seem crumbly. Transfer to the oven and bake 18-20 minutes or until the edges are set and the bars are golden. Sprinkle with flaky salt (if desired). Let cool and then cut into bars.
Notes
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
To Replace Coconut Oil: use an equal amount of olive oil, melted butter, or canola oil.
Storing: these cookies keep well for 3-4 days at room temperature.
This post was originally published on May 15, 2020
Made these today. Result was quite lovely. Very easy recipe to whip up quickly. Used the lower sugar amounts listed and grape seed oil in place of coconut oil. Am thinking I will add walnuts next time…just because I love nuts in my chocolate chip cookies ?
Love that!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Karen! xTieghan
Can Steel Cut oats be used instead?
Hi Anna,
Sorry steel cuts oats can not be used. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I saw your story making these and I had to have them immediately! How did you know I’d been craving chocolate hardcore but was still holding out for the perfect healthy(ish) hearty cookie recipe to bake? In my opinion, the best kinds of cookies have oats in them. These were just as easy as you said they’d be (I don’t have a mixer of any kind, so that can sometimes be the obstacle for me) and they were done before I knew it! The coconut oil really complements the flavors perfectly, and that little bit of salt is the perfect contrast to all that gooey dark chocolate (I probably used closer to 1.75 cups of chocolate chunks – 100% intentional). I’ll definitely be making these again! Your recipes have seriously been getting me through quarantine – no exaggeration! Thank you!!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much for trying these bars, Lindsay!! I hope you continue to enjoy other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Hey, I am really interested in these delightful bars but unfortunately I am not able to use eggs. If you could share a egg-free recipe of any substitute for eggs in this recipe would be a great help
Hi Anaanya,
Sorry I haven’t tested this recipe without eggs but I would recommend trying a chia or flax egg. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can I use two cups of whole wheat pastry flour? Or are there any alternatives? Right now I have cake flour and WW pastry. I very rarely purchase white flour.
Hi Akilah,
Yes that is okay to do. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks delicious.
One question though: whole wheat pastry flour. The word pastry is confusing to me. Is this any different than just whole wheat flour?
Can’t wait to bake this!
Hi Andrea,
Yes these two are different, if you can’t find it just use all purpose flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! Would this work if I only have a 9×9 baking dish? Do I need to change the cooking time? Thanks! Can’t wait to make these ??
Hi Anjana,
This will work! You may need to increase the baking time slightly. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Whole wheat flour …… Do I have tooo… 🙁
Hi Dee,
You can use all purpose flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Alright…. these have fabulous flavor!!! I use my vanilla infused salts which adds additional vanilla flavor. I can’t imagine my life without Half Baked Harvest… we have been making everything so far!!! These bars are fabulous and they are crumbly for sure… I am probably going to follow one of the comments and decrease the flour to make them more bar like. Will definitely make! Have you made her Monster Bars… different but also the same and amazing!
Thanks Tieghan!!
Haha aw that is so sweet! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Christie! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
These look delicious!! Do you think it would be okay to halve the recipe and bake it in an 8×8 pan? Can’t wait to make these bars this weekend 🙂
Hi Helen,
Yes that will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can you use two cups all purpose flour? I don’t have whole wheat?
Hi Kelley,
Yes you can do that! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love how hearty this are while still being a treat! I don’t feel a sugar crash after I have one. Yum!
Thank you so much Libby! xTieghan
Thank you, this recipe is just the right amount of healthyish to be delicious! I love that they aren’t super sweet and what could be bad about dark chocolate and old fashioned oats, so yummy!
Thank you so much Libby! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I *love* an oatmeal-raisin combo and want to try these with raisins instead of chocolate! Or maybe even half of each?! They look like such a good base oatmeal cookie bar recipe that I’m excited to riff off of!
Ooo half of each could be great! I hope you love these cookies, Em! xTieghan
You state that you use honey in this recipe to keep them “perfectly sweet”, but it is not listed in ingredients or mixing directions. Have you made them with butter when testing, family member has coconut allergy, and today it seems coconut is in a lot of recipes.
Hi Henry,
I have adjusted this recipe. I would not recommend honey. If you want to replace the coconut oil you can use, butter, olive oil, or canola oil. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan