Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Cookie Bars are so soft and chewy, and they’re packed with raisins, chocolate chips, and more! Dessert doesn’t get any easier, or more delicious, than these easy cookie bars!

Make sure to try my famous Oatmeal Raisin Cookies too!!

Easy Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Some days I’m in the mood for a classic comfort cookie, but I just can’t decide which kind to make. I mean, do I want oatmeal raisin cookies? Chocolate chip cookies? Maybe both? Choosing what kind of cookie to bake is a serious decision, my friends – it’s not to be taken lightly. So, on those days where I can’t make up my mind, I make Oatmeal Cookie Bars because they combine both aforementioned cookies into one. And they’ve got nuts thrown in too, for good measure!

Not won over yet? No problem. I’ll fill you in on the delicious details. These chewy cookie bars are perfectly soft and golden-brown, and they’re also packed with sweet raisins, chocolate chips, and crunchy walnuts. One bite and you’ll be hooked for sure! One more reason why homemade cookie bars are the best? You don’t have to shape each individual cookie before baking. That means less time spent working, and more time spent eating cookies!!

Are These Healthy?

These cookies are relatively good for you. I mean, they’re still a dessert. But as far as desserts go, this cookie bar recipe is great because there is a lot of added fiber. For example, the rolled oats are loaded with fiber and also contain a number of vitamins and important minerals. Adding in raisins gives you a little iron, and the walnuts have some great healthy fats.

And you can absolutely make certain adjustments – like leaving out the chocolate chips – that make these cookie bars even healthier.

What You’ll Need

There’s nothing too out of the ordinary here with regard to cookie ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to round up before starting:

• Butter: Make sure this is room temperature so that it incorporates into the dough smoothly.
• Sugar: I like to use light brown sugar for its subtle caramel notes, but I also use a little granulated sugar.
• Eggs: The binding agent for these cookie bars.
• Vanilla Extract: For a touch of extra sweetness.
• Salt: I prefer to use kosher salt, but regular iodized salt is fine too.
• Cinnamon: A sprinkle of ground cinnamon provides some homey sweetness!
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: To help your cookie bars rise up nice and tall.
• Flour: I usually just use all purpose flour for this recipe.
• Oats: Old-fashioned oats provide great texture and some health benefits! (More on this below.)
• Chocolate Chips: I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate ones, or even white chocolate chips.
• Raisins: Technically optional, but highly recommended!
• Walnuts: I love the crunch these chopped nuts add.

How to Make Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Cookie bars are the perfect dessert for when you’re feeling lazy. Because you don’t have to scoop and shape each cookie, the whole process takes just over 30 minutes. So, when those sugar cravings hit, you don’t have to wait that long to cure them!

Here’s the step-by-step guide to making the best oatmeal cookie bars:

Preheat Oven to 350°F: Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and coat it with nonstick spray.

Combine Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Add in the Eggs: Also add in the vanilla, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix everything until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add Flour and Oats: Turn the mixer to low, add in the flour and oats, and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, raisins, and walnuts until evenly incorporated.

Bake: Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Tips for Success

Super simple, right?

Okay, now that you’re familiar with the process, I’ve got a couple of extra tips to share that will make it even easier:

• Let the Cookie Cool Before Cutting the Bars: This gives it a little time to firm up. If you try to cut the bars too early on, they could crumble and fall apart.
• How to Tell When It’s Done: The edges of the cookie should be golden-brown and firm. If the middle looks a little underdone, that’s okay. It’ll finish cooking in the pan while you let it cool.
• Use Parchment Paper: There’s nothing worse than losing cookies to a pan that wasn’t greased enough. Use parchment paper for easy, non-eventful cookie removal!
• Can I Use Quick Oats? Sure! The texture won’t be quite the same, but it still works well and tastes great.

Add-In Ideas for Cookie Bars

Another thing I love about these oatmeal cookie bars is that you don’t have to make them the same way each time! Switching up what you add in can make them seem like totally different cookies:

• Chocolate Chips: Throw in chocolate chips (of any kind), white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc. Chopped chocolate is good too!
• Candy: I think peanut butter cups would be FABULOUS in these cookie bars, as would M&Ms.
• Fruit: Raisins and dried cranberries are the first things that come to mind.
• Nuts: Walnuts are my go-to, but chopped pecans could work as well.

How to Store Leftovers

I like to store these cookies in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days. You can also store them at room temperature, also in an airtight container, for 2-3 days.

Can I Freeze These?

Yes! You can freeze your oatmeal cookie bars in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper for 2-3 months.

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More Healthy Desserts to Try

Looking to try some more healthy-yet-still-delicious desserts? Check out these ones:

• Healthy Banana Oat Cookies
• Zucchini Bread
• Banana Split Granola Bars
• Blueberry Banana Bread
• No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares (Only 3 Ingredients!)

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