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With its crumbly oat topping and creamy chocolate filling, these Oatmeal Chocolate Cream Bars are perfect for a quick snack or dessert. This easy cookie bars recipe comes together quickly and bakes in under 30 minutes.
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I first shared this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Cream Bars back in 2013 and they still remain one of my all time favorite sweet treats! I usually make them around the holidays but I’m not sure why because they are so delicious.
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Vintage Recipe Adventures
For the last several years, I’ve been making my way through my own, my mom’s and my grandmother’s recipe boxes. The idea is to rediscover some recipes I may have forgotten about but also try new to me recipes to try.
I found the recipe card for these Oatmeal Chocolate Cream Bars in my own recipe box although I’m not really sure where it’s from originally. It’s in my own handwriting but I’m thinking that I most likely copied it from my mom or grandmother. Let’s just say it’s been around awhile!
I love a good bar cookie. These are super easy to put together and what’s great about bar cookies is that you get all the great homemade goodness without the same effort as individual cookies when you’re short on time.
They are definitely an indulgent sweet treat but since the bars are made and baked in a large bar pan, I cut it into small bars so I feel a little better about treating myself and others to these Oatmeal Chocolate Cream Bars!
That is if you can stop at just one. (I couldn’t).
This is one of those recipes you’ll want to make for a group or hide deep in your freezer because if you have them just sitting around, I promise, you won’t be able to stop. I made some for a teacher’s luncheon and to give to a friend who I was bringing dinner to and they all loved them.
There’s something about the crumbly oatmeal crust and topping paired with the creamy chocolate filling that just works. These are delicious with a hot cup of coffee or tea. They are also great for a cookie platter because they hold up well and won’t crumble easily.
Easy Make Ahead Recipe
You can also make them ahead! Layered in an airtight container with wax paper between each layer, you can make these Oatmeal Chocolate Cream Bars up to three months before you want to serve them. Just store them in the freezer until you’re ready.
I’m all for anything that can be make ahead, right?
I hope you’ll give these Oatmeal Chocolate Cream Bars a try and let me know what you think.
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Oat and Chocolate Cream Bars
Ingredients
For Crust & Topping
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups rolled oats old-fashioned style, not quick cooking
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
For Filling
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk NOT evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup chopped nuts you can leave these out if you’re not a fan but I really liked them in there!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter.
- Mix at low speed of mixer until crumbly.
- Press four cups crumb mixture into ungreased 15 x 10 jelly roll style pan (baking sheet with edges). Here is one I like (affiliate link)
- In medium saucepan, combine first four filling ingredients.
- Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Stir in vanilla and nuts.
- Pour filling over crumb crust. Work quickly as when it cools it becomes more difficult to spread.
- Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over filling.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool; cut into bars.
Nutrition
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Oge @ healthy quick meals
Hi Brenda, these bars look beautiful and delicious. Since you mentioned the amount of sugar in the recipe, would you say the taste is on the sweeter side? I know it depends on personal taste, but do you think the recipe would work with less sugar? Thanks again for sharing another wonderful recipe!
Oge @ healthy quick meals
Sorry about the confusion Brenda!
Meal Plan Mom (Brenda)
Hi Oge, Actually, I’d say they really aren’t overly sweet at all but if you wanted to cut down on the sugar, I would take it out of the chocolate mixture because the crust mixture needs some of that to make the crust more moist for pressing into the pan (if that makes sense). Enjoy!
Elizabeth
Those look delicious. I love recipes for bar cookies.
Theresa Nixon
This sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m going to try this recipe in this holiday time. Thanks!