Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Sweet and full of chocolate chips, these oatmeal bars are like a giant chewy oat cookie baked in a pan. This recipe is one-bowl easy and great for those days when you don't feel like making individual cookies. They're ready in 45 minutes, and freeze well.
Servings 12 squares
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Butter or spray an 8-inch square baking pan. You can line it with a piece of parchment paper, covering the pan's bottom and two long sides. The two short sides will remain unlined but greased. This will help you remove the bars from the pan.
- In a large mixing bowl beat ½ cup unsalted butter with ½ cup white granulated sugar and ½ cup light brown sugar for a minute.
- Add 1 egg and incorporate well until you have a creamy mixture. Add 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract and mix.
- Sift 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt. You can sift them before in a separate bowl or have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture when prompted (my choice).
- Add them to the butter mixture in 2 parts, mixing with a silicon spatula until combined.
- Add 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats and incorporate well. It might take a minute or two. Lastly, add 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and stir to distribute well throughout the dough.
- Pat the cookie dough in the prepared pan, and even it out. At this point, you can wrap the pan and chill the dough for a day before baking.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until it’s slightly puffed, the top is dry and golden brown, but the center is still a little soft. Don’t let it firm up completely or the bars will be on the dry side.
- Let cool on a wire rack. Run a smooth-bladed knife around the edges to loosen up any bits that might be stuck, and lift the whole block with the help of the paper.
- Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap or airtight container.
Notes
Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Chill the dough for 12 to 24 hours. I do this when I can, as the dough hydrates and the ingredients meld, developing a richer flavor (better if you ask me). You'll also have chewier bars. That said, you can bake them directly or with just a few hours of refrigeration, and they will turn out great.
Storage: they keep for a few days at room temperature, always covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container or tin. You can also freeze them for a month. Let it come to room temperature and warm slightly before eating.
