Next Post
The Hermione Granger Cocktail.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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
This recipe is so decadent, soft bars loaded with dark chocolate and a dusting of sea salt, divine! Thank you, I look forward to trying more half baked harvest recipes.
Thank you Karen! I am so glad you have been loving my recipes!! I hope you continue to! xTieghan
These Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Bars are insanely good. I had never used coconut oil before this recipe, and so initially I used butter, my preferred ‘fat’ for baking. They were Ok but I could see the texture looked different from your version and the flavor was just Ok. I then tried Canola oil which I also had on hand. I could taste the flavor of the oil, which I did not like at all. I realized then that I needed to learn about coconut oil and how to use it so I could make the recipe as you shared. (Each of my test batches were 1/2 the recipe, and I prefer an 8 inch square pan as I like a thicker bar.) I’m SO glad that this recipe pushed me into using coconut oil. They are moist and chewy and ‘chocolatey’ and flavorful (with no coconut taste)! I use the low end sugar amounts that you provide, otherwise follow the recipe as stated and it’s a WINNER. I’m a big baker and I’ve made this recipe a ton in recent weeks. Thankfully I have discipline to limit my daily consumption! Thank you!!
Hi Diane!! I am so happy these turned out so amazing for you!! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
I made these last night. They are so quick and easy, really good recipe to have on hand when you need a last minute dessert. I didn’t have pastry flour, and most stores are sold out right now so I did 2 C AP flour – they do come out kind of dry doing this so just a heads up. They still taste good but the pastry flour really is necessary.
Thank you Christa! xTieghan
Just made a half batch of this and it turned out perfectly. Used less sugar so I could have it as a coffee snack. Coconut flavor is a bit strong for me but I think it depends on the type of Coconut oil used. I do miss that buttery flavor but understand how it wouldn’t work as well! So so so easy and quick!!!
Thank you Hollie!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I’ve made this recipe twice: once following the recipe exactly and once with 2 cups of oats instead of 2.5. I thought the cookie bars turned out absolutely perfect with only 2 cups of oats! They were great the first time too, but a bit more dry. Great recipe and I don’t feel too guilty eating joes than one. 🙂
I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe, Abbi! Thank you so much! xTieghan
These are amazing!!! Such a good snack or dessert. Love how they’re fairly low in sugar and have oats in them. I subbed 1 cup flour for almond flour bc it’s all i had on hand. Worked perfectly 🙂 thanks for the recipe!!!!
I am so happy to hear that, Jules! Thank you so much! xTieghan
tastes good but soooooo crumbly. doesn’t hold the shape at all 🙁 should I add more eggs?
Hi Mel,
Thanks for trying the recipe. This is meant to be a crumbly cookie, but you can add more coconut oil. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just a little note, in the sugar ingredients you put us instead of use. Thank you. Can’t wait to try it!!!!
Ooops thank you Mary! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
These looked amazing but I’m not sure what went wrong! I followed this recipe as directed but they were super dry. I did reduce the oatmeal by half but still dry not what I envisioned. Did anyone else have this issue? I’d love to make them again!
Hi Lisa,
So sorry this recipe did not workout for you. I am wondering if you adjusted the recipe at all? This is definitely a more crumbly cookie bar. Please let me know how I can help. xTieghan
I LOVE these chocolate bars. My whole family loves these as well. The only difference i did was i used olive oil instead of coconut oil. But they are one my favorite treats! Thank you for making such delicious recipes.
Thank you so much for trying this Johanna! I am really glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was the first HBH recipe I ever made, and they have been on constant repeat in the 7 years since. A true family favorite, and I never feel bad letting our kids snack on these. I sub whole wheat flour with no discernible change in taste or texture. LOVE THESE!!
Thank you so much Clare! I am so glad you and your kids love these bars! xTieghan
Made these over the weekend and they were a HUGE hit. Can’t wait to make them again and love that it’s a recipe where I almost always have the ingredients on hand!
I am really glad these turned out so well for you, Carly!! Thank you! xTieghan
These are delicious!! But they tend to crumble so easily – any advice?! (I used vegetable oil)
My only question is about the storage instructions. How did anyone even find OUT these are still good after 4 days? Did a recipe tester forget they were in the house? Or maybe someone locked them in a cupboard and gave the key to someone else for self-control? Cuz around here stuff this awesome never lasts THAT long! Yum, yum, yum. Thx for these! We make them over and over. Easy AND healthy! Yay.
Hi Toni,
Lol you are too funny! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe:) xTieghan
These were so good straight out of the oven with vanilla ice cream! Healthy or not (thanks ice cream) these were easy and quick. I’ll def make these again!