Chocolate Oat Bars

Fudgy, thick and chewy Chocolate Oat Bars made without nuts or dairy! These dark chocolate oatmeal dessert bars are hearty, delicious and super easy to make!

My Chocolate Oat Bars are a quick and easy cookie-like dessert bar that you can make when you don’t feel like baking a batch of cookies.

These oatmeal dessert bars have an oaty cookie base, thick fudgy dark chocolate middle, and a crumbly cookie top. They are a sweet treat that you can enjoy after dinner or for snacks at any time of the day.

With just nine simple and flexible ingredients they’re ready to eat in less than an hour with very little hands-on time. They can easily be made gluten-free with a few quick adjustments too.

Jump to:

• Ingredients & equipment
• Can these oatmeal dessert bars be made gluten-free?
• How to make chocolate oat bars
• Success Tips
• Ways to adapt this dessert bar recipe
• Storing chocolate oat bars
• Hungry for more?
• Recipe
• Reviews & Questions

Ingredients & equipment

The simple ingredients in this chocolate oatmeal bars recipe are easy to find, plus you can customize them to fit your cravings. 

Here's what you need:

• Dairy-free milk - Any kind will do but unsweetened is recommended.
• Dairy-free chocolate chips - These are going to be melted, so no need to be picky over which brand or size to use. Enjoy Life chocolate chips are vegan and delicious, but you could also use a dairy-free dark chocolate bar instead.
• Flour - You can use all-purpose (plain flour in the UK), spelt or oat flour in this recipe.
• Rolled oats - For hearty texture and oaty flavour.
• Sugar - They are dessert bars after all!
• Baking powder - For a little lightness
• Coconut oil - Some fat is essential for good cookie texture. You could use vegan butter instead though.
• Salt and vanilla - Flavour!

The only equipment you need to make these vegan oatmeal bars are a loaf pan and some parchment paper.

Can these oatmeal dessert bars be made gluten-free?

Of course! Make these gluten-free by using certified gluten-free rolled oats and oat flour.

How to make chocolate oat bars

Make these dark chocolate oatmeal bars in only a few easy steps. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1 - Heat the milk and pour it over the chocolate.

Step 2 - Stir until it melts and creates a thick, smooth, melted chocolate sauce.

Step 2 - Mix up the oaty cookie dough in a bowl.

Step 3 - Pack some of the dough into the bottom of a lined loaf pan.

Step 4 - Pour the dark chocolate sauce on top of the dough to form the chocolate layer.

Step 7 - Crumble the rest of the cookie dough over top of the chocolate then bake. 

Step 8 - Allow to cool in the pan then carefully remove and slice into bars with a sharp knife.

Success Tips

• Leave the dark chocolate oatmeal bars to cool completely in the loaf pan before cutting them. The chocolate layer needs to set.
• Press the cookie dough to the pan using the bottom of a mug or glass or your hands. The tighter it’s packed, the more your bars will hold together.
• Use a sharp knife to safely and easily cut the bars. Run the blade under hot water for a few seconds for a smooth slice.
• This recipe makes big and filling bars. Feel free to cut each slice in half if you want smaller portions.

Ways to adapt this dessert bar recipe

• Use jam, apple butter, or pumpkin butter instead of the chocolate layer.
• Add some shredded coconut, chocolate chips, raisins or chopped nuts to the cookie dough mixture.

Storing chocolate oat bars

Store leftover chocolate oat bars in an airtight container. They keep best in the refrigerator and will last for up to 7 days. 

They are also freezer-friendly! Keep them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Hungry for more?

I love bar recipes. They are a quick and easy grab-and-go snack you can eat at any time of day. Here are some more you might like:

• Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
• Healthy No Bake Bars
• No Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
• Healthy Breakfast Bars

Recipe