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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
I’m not sure if it’s something I did or what but these didn’t turn out for me. The chocolate was so thick that it was rock hard and difficult to bite. The “cookie” part was super dry/crumbly and the texture of saw dust… bummer
Hey there! Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! I am so sorry it didn’t turn out for you! I always appreciate the feedback 🙂 xT
These were delicious but they just don’t work. I made the recipe as written with 3/4 cup PB (warmed). They do not hold together=the bottom crumbles nd the chocolate layer is hard to cut. The chocolate layer could probably be cut in half–it is way too thick. I would love for this recipe to work. I hope the recipe will be amended and updated.
Hey Constance! Thank you for trying out the recipe! I am so glad you didn’t enjoy this recipe, I appreciate the feedback! xT
These tasted good but dry. Suggestions by reviewers still didn’t cut it. I increased the pb to 1 cup, added 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and they were still kind of dry. Probably should have added the water as one reviewer suggested.
Hey Jeanne! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe, I appreciate this input! So glad they still tasted yummy though! xT
I donno what i did wrong 🙁 my bars don’t hold together at all and when i cut them the chocolate just falls off. So sad.
Hey Danielle! I am so sorry these bars didn’t turn out for you! I would maybe add a bit more PB or a little bit of maple syrup of honey to help these hold better! xT
I tried this recipe when it was 1/2 c peanut butter and now I see it’s been updated to 3/4. No wonder it didn’t work out for me! Why are recipes being posted when they are still being tested?
Hey Alice! I am sorry for the trouble!! I use a really runny peanut butter which is why I had 1/2 cup but everyone has found 3/4 cup to work perfectly. I adjusted the recipe so everyone would have the best results. I am so sorry this happened! Hoping you can try and enjoy them! xT
Hi Tieghan! I printed out the recipe when you first published it. Now I see it’s been changed. But people are still saying it’s not working. Has it been tested in its current state? I just need to know before I go buy all the ingredients. I can’t afford to spend money on a disaster of a recipe.
Hey Charlene! I use a really runny peanut butter which is why I had 1/2 cup but everyone has found 3/4 cup to work perfectly! I recommend 3/4 cup for best results!
Hope you enjoy! xT
Unfortunately this recipe did not work well. Much too dry as other readers said I added an egg and baked it. Still dry. Love the ingredients, just didn’t quite work.
Hey Brooke! I am so sorry this didn’t turn out for you! Thank you so much for letting me know, I appreciate the feedback! xT
How quickly are comments approved? I asked a question two days ago and it still hasn’t been posted.
Hey Rebecca! Comments are normally responded to within the same day! So sorry for the delay! Thank you for your patience and for engaging with the blog! xT
Love that it’s a nutritious dessert option, but after reading the other comments i agree that adding extra moisture is a must. I added probably 1/2 cup extra pb and it was still much too dry to stay in a bar form.
Hey Abi! Thank you so much for this input, I really appreciate it! Have a great day! xT
My comment isn’t getting approved: the recipe initially called for 1/2 cup of peanut butter and now it is 3/4. I have a screenshot of the original recipe. Was this an error? Which amount is correct? Can you please respond?
Hi Rebecca! Since I received some feedback from the original recipe, the new amount of PB is 3/4 cup! I am so sorry for any confusion! xT
Did you test it using the extra peanut butter? I just need to know before I try this recipe. Thanks.
Hi Lauren! I use a really runny peanut butter which is why I had 1/2 cup but everyone has found 3/4 cup to work perfectly! I recommend 3/4 cup for best results!
Hope you enjoy!! xT
Mine aren’t chewy and the base doesn’t hold together – even after adding more moisture. I also felt the chocolate layer was too thick for the size of bar. Sad when recipes don’t work – good ingredients and so much time for something I can’t give away as planned.
Hey there! I am so so sorry this didn’t turn out for you! Thank you for letting me know, your input is really appreciated! 🙂 xT
What else can I use instead of the Flax or Hemp seeds? Thank you
Hi there! You could use chia seeds, sunflower seeds, or extra oats if you’d like! Enjoy! 🙂 xT
I made these with 1/2 cup of peanut butter, which is what the recipe originally stated – I have it printed out in front of me. They didn’t turn out well at all, very crumbly despite using the “suggestions” above. When I went to write the review, I see the peanut butter has been changed to 3/4. Which is correct? I understand this comment isn’t a glowing review but I’d appreciate if you could please publish it and respond to me.
Hey Jana! I am sorry for the trouble!! I use a really runny peanut butter which is why I had 1/2 cup but everyone has found 3/4 cup to work perfectly. I adjusted the recipe so everyone would have the best results. I am so sorry this happened! Hoping you can try and enjoy them!
Have a great Sunday! xT
These are deliciou and came out great. A few adjustments based on other reviews, confirmed needed. I added about 1/3c water and 2 tbsps maple syrup to the bar mixture. My processor was literally smoking, it was so thick! The moisture helped. I used semi-sweet non diary chocolate with a little coco oil to help melt it. I had no problems getting the chocolate to adhere to the bars. I also only used 9oz of chocolate. They came out great!
Hey Megan! Thank you so so much for all this input, it’s super helpful! Glad you enjoyed these cookie bars! 🙂 xT
Hi! Do you recommend storing in the fridge or freezer? Thanks!
Hey Allison! Tt’s best to store them in the fridge to keep them firm and chewy. If you want to store them longer, you can also freeze them, just let them sit at room temp for a few minutes before eating so they’re not too hard! xT