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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
For the people who wanted these heaven bars to be a little healthier, I just made them and substituted apple sauce for the oil. You can also change it to all whole wheat flour and substitute half of the sugar for honey. But these are great the way they are, and if you make the changes they won’t be quite the same. 🙂
I just made these and they are sooooo good! I only had regular flour on hand but they came out fab. Thank you for the great recipe, it’s a keeper!!
Hi! I made this earlier today, and made some substitutions (sunflower oil, flaxseed, all whole wheat flour, semi sweet choc chips) and additions (chia seed). I think I over baked, especially since I put them in muffin tins. Also smashed the dough in to be less crumbly as some commenters mentioned theirs to be crumbly. I love the taste, but prefer them to be a little more doughy, just my taste. I’m not an avid baker and don’t know if I should increase oil/applesauce/banana or decrease oats… What should I do? I’ll be making them again and experimenting with measurements.
Hi – I don’t have the white wheat flour or the wheat pasty flour – could you use 2 cups all purpose, or will that change the consistency?
Thanks!
Hey Susan,
White flour will honestly be even better. Hope you love these!
I make these all the time to have with my coffee in the am. I reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 c., and you can’t tell the difference! May try reducing the sugar a little more..Sometimes I top with walnuts before baking! Also yummy!! Great, versatile recipe. Thanks:).
So happy you love this recipe and good to know you can reduce the sugar so much! 🙂
Thanks!
Making these now–they’re in the oven as I type (after COPIOUS sampling of the dough–whoooooops)! They smell great and I may have cried a little bit when I put it in the oven because I just wanted to eat it all uncooked 🙂
—–
OK, they’re done now and I just tasted them. DELIGHTFULLY chewy while still warm, and the dark chocolate+oats combo is always great. Thank you!
haha! LOVE this comment! Thank you so much for making these and I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Oh my goodness!!!! No matter what you call them… these are crazy good! I guess in moderation they could be considered “healthier” than a lot of similar recipes… but moderation isn’t very easy with these. Made them yesterday and they’re nearly gone!
HAHA! So happy you love them. Thank you! 🙂
okay. so i made these like an hour ago. i got all the ingredients before i read the reviews.
when i got home, that is when i decided to read the reviews. to be honest, i was kind of skeptical on how they would turn out.
1. they are delicious
2. they are delicious
3. they are delicious
mine didn’t come out completely crumbly. i was able to actually cut proportional squares out of all of them.
they are delicious. yes, they are not exactly as “healthy” as it calls for. but its A LOT healthier than your average brownie/blondie.
MAKE THESE! also they arent that sweet surprisingly.
I have a little video on my instagram.
YEAH! So happy you love these cookies. They are my favorite! THANKS!
Also, I agree with commenters that have said they are better the next day. For most cookies and cookie bars I like them warm and gooey but these actually taste SO much better once they’ve cooled completely. Next day=best!
These are amazing. They have been my go-to cookie bar recipe for a while and now that I’m no longer eating dairy, I’ll be making these even more!
My method for preventing my granola bars from being too crumbly works pretty well for these. Just lay a sheet of foil on top of the dough in the pan and push down really, really hard so that the dough is packed as tightly as possible. Cuts down on a lot of the crumbliness!
That is such a great tip, I cannot wait to try it! 🙂
So happy you enjoy these!
Just found this on Pinterest and I absolutely can not wait to get home and mix these up!! Might have to work through lunch so I can go home early. I am having some serious cravings right now!
Thanks so much, Kate!
Can you tell me what the nutritional facts are for this healthy snack? (Or estimate?) thanks!!
Hey Allie, I actually do not have clue what the nutrition info is. I know if can be calculated online though. Sorry I was not of more help!
I grew up on Malley’s too! The best! Can’t wait to try these out.
Isn’t it?? So good!
Thanks!
These are fantastic. I actually substituted some almond meal and coconut flour for some of the white flour and used a 5 grain mix rather than just oats. My picky daughter LOVES them! And they keep so well! As good on day 5 as on day 2 (we actually liked them best after they sat a bit. THANKS!!
SO happy you guys love this recipe!!! It is honestly one of my families favorites!
OK I have made these several times now and I absolutely love them! They are so easy and the dark chocolate is amazing with the oatmeal. I just did a blog post on them. They don’t look as yummy as yours but they still taste so good! Next time I’m definitely adding more dark chocolate.