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Chewy No-Bake Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars—simple to make, no-fuss, and made with real, whole food ingredients! These bars start with old-fashioned oats (the kind grandma used!), salted cashews, chewy Medjool dates, creamy peanut butter, vanilla, and a thick layer of salted dark chocolate. Somehow, they taste just like a soft, chewy oatmeal cookie bar – no baking required. They’re delicious and honestly kind of magical.
It’s hard to beat my mom’s classic Oatmeal Cookie Bars. She used to make them with a cup of sugar and canola oil, always throwing in extra chocolate chips. They were rich, sweet, and totally irresistible.
She made them all year long, but just like her Special K-Bars, these cookie bars were a summer party staple. Everyone loved them—and they were so easy to whip up, which was probably her secret.
I still can’t quite replicate the cookie bars my mom made when we lived in Cleveland—there’s just something about the original! But I do love creating my own twists using simple, real-food ingredients that feel a little more wholesome without sacrificing flavor.
It’s funny—I tend to go one of two ways with sweet recipes. Either I go all in with dark brown sugar and zero regrets, or I lean into a more natural approach for something you can feel just a little better about enjoying—which is what I did here.
These bars have been in my rotation for a while now. I brought a batch to a family dinner (yes, they even made it on a plane!) and they were devoured in minutes—so I knew I had to share them with you.
They’re the perfect summer treat: no-bake, no-fuss, and so scrumptious.
These are the details
Ingredients
- old-fashioned rolled oats – I like the organic, gluten-free
- salted and roasted cashews
- Medjool dates – make sure these are fresh and plump
- peanut butter – you could use a seed butter too
- vanilla extract
- ground flax or hemp seeds – optional, but they add protein, fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins. Their nutty flavor also pairs nicely with vanilla.
- dark chocolate – use your favorite, any percentage works
- flaky sea salt
Special Tools
You will need a food processor or a high-powered blender. I prefer a food processor because of the bowl size, but a good blender is great too!
Steps
Step 1: Blend everything
Add all ingredients—except the melted chocolate—to the bowl of your food processor or blender.
Blend until the mixture comes together and is sticky, about 3 to 5 minutes. It should hold together easily when pressed.
Step 2: Add the chocolate
Press the cookie dough into a square pan. I use the Caraway 9″ square pan.
Pour the melted chocolate over the top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Chill the bars until the chocolate is fully set—I prefer the fridge, as it gives the chocolate a nicer finish.
In a hurry? The freezer works too!
Storing
I like to keep these bars in the fridge or in a cool spot at room temperature. Just make sure it’s not too warm—otherwise, the chocolate topping can melt.
They stay chewy, creamy, sweet, and salty—literally perfect every time. And don’t skip the sea salt—I think it makes them all the more deliciously addicting.
Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies
Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake
Lastly, if you make these No-Bake Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you 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!
No-Bake Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Servings: 16 cookie bars
Calories Per Serving: 367 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashion oats
- 1 cup roasted cashews
- 1 cup plump Medjool dates, split and pitted
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, warmed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup ground flax/and or shelled hemp seeds (optional)
- 20 ounces semi-sweet/dark chocolate melted
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Line a 9×9 inch square pan with parchment paper.2. In a food processor/blender, blend together all ingredients except the chocolate until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the prepared pan.3. Freeze for 10 minutes just to start the chilling. Pour over the chocolate. Sprinkle with sea salt (if desired).4. Chill in the fridge until firm, at least 1-2 hours. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on July 15, 2025
Hi Tieghan,
I made these last eve for a dinner party and they were very tasty but I cannot figure out how you got the chocolate to stick to the rest of the bar. The chocolate layer was so thick that we couldn’t cut it easily and it slid off the bottom. Any tips? Thanks!
H Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the flavor of the bars, thank you for giving them a try! For the chocolate layer, it can definitely help to slightly press it into the oat mixture while it’s still soft, or even let the bottom layer cool just a bit before spreading the chocolate so the two layers grip better. Chilling just until firm, not rock solid, also makes cutting easier. I hope that helps for next time, and I so appreciate your feedback! Have a great day! xT
Great treat! Easy to overindulge, but it is heavy if you do, almost needing a glass of milk to go with it. After reading the comments, I added 2tbs of maple syrup and a splash of water right from the start. I also added some walnuts just for the heck of it. I used an 8×8 since that’s all I had on hand, worked out great. My husband and I liked them. He said the texture was a cross between a brownie and a soft baked cookie. Will definitely make these again….. and will also play around with different flavors 🙂
Hey there! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! I really appreciate the input, and I love to hear that the texture was almost like a brownie for you! 🙂 xT
I’m surprised to see that the 2 posts I made about the failure of these bars aren’t here. I was eagerly awaiting some help to make these bars work. What good are comments if only the raves are going to make it into the comments. That will definitely influence me in the future. I asked twice because I really wanted these bars to work. And they didn’t. At all. I think I might have found out the answer to why some people had good luck and others of us didn’t at all. I used natural peanut butter..the “stir before using” kind. To salvage the crumbs I put 1/2 cup regular creamy peanut butter and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Success!! They are now firm bars. I’ll put the chocolate on tonight and take them to meeting where I’m going to bring the snack.
Hey Jan! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and share your experience—I’m really sorry your earlier comments didn’t come through. I can imagine how frustrating that must’ve been, especially when you were genuinely trying to make the recipe work and I appreciate your patience! You’re totally right, natural peanut butter (the “stir” kind) can make a big difference in texture, and using regular creamy peanut butter with a bit of maple syrup sounds like the perfect fix. I’m so grateful you stuck with it and took the time to share what ended up working for you. I hope the bars are a hit at your meeting! xT
Tieghan would you mind sharing what peanut butter you use to make these? Like what brand and if it’s natural or like the regular kind? I want to make them like you do!
Hi Kelly! I use Whole Foods 365 brand creamy peanut butter, I’ve found that works best for me! xT
This was very easy to make and delicious.
For those that say it crumbled. Follow tips HBH provided in comments add a little water or honey. You should also press mixture firmly together in pan. I used bottom of glass before I poured chocolate. The only thing I would change is a little less chocolate. Instead of 22 ounces will try 16-18. But if you love chocolate go for it! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hey there! Thank you SO much for trying out the recipe and leaving such awesome input! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 xT
I retract my previous comment. I would use same amount of chocolate again.
I had again and brought to room temp and it was perfect.
Hey there! Thanks so much! I’m so glad you ended up enjoying these bars! 🙂 xT
At the top it says the recipe was updated 5 days after it was published. Could you tell me what was updated please?
Hey Kelly, I must have updated something within the content, the recipe has not been altered. Hope you enjoy!
Kelly, she increased the peanut butter from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup. Hope that helps!
I liked the ingredient list and spent a considerable amount on the contents of the cookie bars. Mine completely crumbled and although I used only 16 ounces of dark chocolate it was still almost too much. Disappointing results.Trying to use up the results somehow so not to have wasted all that good food.
Hey Chris! I’m really sorry this didn’t turn out for you, thank you so much for letting me know! I always appreciate the feedback. Have a great week! xT
Hi! When you made this on IG how much peanut butter did you add? Thank u!!!!
Hi Elle! This recipe calls for 3/4 cup peanut butter! Hope this helps! 🙂 xT
The recipe originally had a different amount of peanut butter. I wish I could remember how much. It’s confusing when it changes with no warning. That;s why I was wondering what you did on IG.
Hey Elle, you can use 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup peanut butter. The recipe will work either way. The key is using plump, moist dates. The dates need to be finely ground to really bind the bars together.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help! Have a wonderful week! xT
My melted chocolate seized up, perhaps a tip about that or a bit more specific detail other than, melt the chocolate. I too think the base may be dry, great ingredients I hope it’s not a flop for tomorrow’s girls night dessert, they’ll understand if it is tho!
Hey Natalie! Thank you for trying out the recipe! I appreciate the input, I’m sure the bars will be delish for your girl’s night! xT
These were delicious! I added a tablespoon or so of maple syrup, a couple tablespoons of spoons of melted coconut oil, and a little more peanut butter to help them stick together. I imagine the size and texture of the dates makes a difference in how sticky or crumbly the texture is. My girls can’t stop eating them! 😍
Hey Megan! Thank you so so much, I’m so glad you and your family are loving this recipe! And thanks for sharing the tips on what worked for you! So glad you enjoyed! xT
Guilt-free treat and so easy! The trick is to process the ingredients, then pulse several times, stop, scrape the sides and bottom, and repeat until the ingredients come together. It takes time: be patient. Absolutely yummy! I substituted figs for dates because that is what I had on hand. Thank you, thank you for coming up with something healthy, fast, and tasty!! 💝
Hey Kym! Thank you so so much, this is such a kind and helpful comment! So glad you enjoyed these oatmeal cookie bars! 🙂 xT
My wife and I made these as a treat this weekend to have with coffee. Love the dates. Will definitely make again!
Thank you so much Will! This definitely would be the perfect thing to pair with coffee! Hope you have a lovely week! 🙂 xT
Previous comments seem to indicate texture/taste preferences (or not intuitively adding extra moisture, e.g. maple syrup, nut butter, etc if visually dry or dry to the touch). I added extra almond butter per my family’s preferences and we all loved these. Thank you for the easy to follow directions.
Hey Julie! Thank you so so much for this input! So glad you and your family enjoyed these oatmeal cookie bars! 🙂 xT
The filling was way too dry and just completely fell apart when I went to cut it. I actually had to toss the whole dish. Maybe more peanut butter next time.
Hey Denie! So sorry these didn’t turn out for you! Thank you for letting me know, I’ll look into how I can improve this recipe! Have a great week! 🙂 xT
These were so dry & crumbly. I won’t be making again.
Hey Sara! Thank you for the feedback, I’m so sorry these didn’t work out for you! I always appreciate the input! Have a lovely Sunday! xT
After reading the first comment, I used only 12oz of chocolate, and its still too much. I had to use a food processor instead of a blender and added extra peanut butter, but the filling was too dry. I don’t know…maybe 6-8oz of chocolate and lots less oats?
Hey Matt! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe, I appreciate the feedback! Have a great day! xT
I had the same problem. The bottom layer just didn’t come together. I will try again with way less oats or maybe mix everything else and then add the oats slowly as needed.
Hey Allison! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! I really appreciate the feedback! 🙂 xT
These were so good. I soaked my dates in boiling water for 5 min. Drain and proceeded. They were great. Will definitely make agin varying the nuts. Thanks Tieghan
Hi Dana! Wow thank you so much! So glad you loved these oatmeal cookie bars! 🙂 xT