These oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars are thick and chewy with nearly gooey centers and lots of chocolate chips. They’re easy to make and perfect when you want a simple, irresistible treat. 
If you love soft, thick oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but don’t want to wait for dough to chill, these cookie bars are an ideal solution. They blend brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla for warmth and depth, while the oats add a pleasing texture. Packed with chocolate chips, these bars come out dense, chewy, and slightly gooey in the center.
One of the best parts of this recipe is how close the centers stay to molten without requiring sticky hands handling dough balls.
Making Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These bars are straightforward to prepare. Unlike shaping individual cookies, a sheet-pan approach lets you use a higher fat-to-flour ratio, which yields a chewier, softer result without the risk of cookies spreading too thin. Here’s an overview of the process:
- Preheat the oven and lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) pan, or line it with parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and combined — about 2 minutes. Softened butter produces the best texture for this recipe.
- Beat in 2 large eggs plus 1 additional egg yolk and the vanilla. The extra yolk helps make the bars chewier and gives a creamy texture to the batter.
- Mix in the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. While I often whisk dry ingredients separately, this recipe is forgiving and works well when added directly.
- Stir in the rolled oats until evenly distributed. You can mix by hand or with a mixer; the dough will be sticky.
- Fold in the chocolate chips by hand to avoid breaking them up.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges begin to pull away from the pan. If the center is still pale while the edges are browning, bake a little longer.
The most difficult part is waiting for the bars to cool. Let them cool in the pan for at least one hour before slicing; this helps them set so you get neat, chewy squares. After an hour they’ll still be soft and have melted chocolate pockets — just the texture you want.
Why these bars are a crowd-pleaser:
- Thick, chewy bars with an almost gooey center
- No chilling required, so they come together faster than many cookie recipes
- Plenty of room to add extra chocolate chips or mix-ins
If you enjoy oatmeal-based treats, consider trying similar recipes like monster cookies, monster cookie bars, peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, or classic oatmeal raisin cookies for more variety.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
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Equipment
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9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened
- 1 cup brown sugar (210 grams), light or dark
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk, extra, in addition to the 2 whole eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15 ml)
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (209 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups rolled oats (180 grams), large, old-fashioned oats recommended
- 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips (240 grams), your favorite variety
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9×13 inch pan by greasing it lightly or lining it with parchment.
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In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
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Add the 2 eggs, the extra egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat until fully combined and creamy.
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Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low to incorporate, then increase speed briefly until the dough is uniform.
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Stir in the oats until evenly distributed. The mixture will be sticky.
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Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
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Spread the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer.
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Bake in the center of the oven for 25–30 minutes. The top should be golden and the edges beginning to pull away from the pan when done.
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Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before slicing to ensure they set properly.
Notes
- Pan Sizes: Halve the recipe for an 8×8 inch pan; bake 20–25 minutes for a thinner bar.
- Oats: Large rolled oats or quick oats both work; large rolled oats give the best texture.
- Add-ins: Optionally stir in 1/2 cup shredded coconut or extra nuts for variation.
- Storage: Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, refrigerate up to 6 days, or freeze wrapped for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Nutrition: Values are estimates per bar assuming 15 equal pieces.
Nutrition
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