Description
These healthy chocolate chip oatmeal bars are thick, chewy, and made with wholesome ingredients like oats, nut butter, and pure maple syrup. Perfect as a sweet dessert or snack, they combine rich chocolate chips with a hint of flaky sea salt for a deliciously balanced treat that you’ll love.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew butter; almond butter recommended)
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup or honey (pure maple syrup recommended)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-ins & Toppings
- ¾ cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided: ½ cup for batter, ¼ cup for topping)
- Flaky salt (such as Maldon sea salt flakes) for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it reaches the perfect baking temperature.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Line an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy removal of the bars.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the quick cooking oats and baking powder until evenly combined.
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. Then add the nut butter, pure maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir well until the mixture is evenly combined. Fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chips gently.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Spread the oat mixture evenly into the lined baking dish. Press the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips into the top to create a decorative and tasty topping.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Add Topping and Cool: Remove the bars from the oven and immediately sprinkle the top with flaky salt. Allow the bars to cool completely in the baking dish before slicing.
- Serve & Store: Once cooled, cut into 9 equal squares. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to serve later for a firmer texture.
Notes
- You can substitute nut butter types based on preference, but almond butter is recommended for flavor and texture.
- Use pure maple syrup for a richer, deeper sweetness or honey for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Pressing chocolate chips on top before baking enhances the presentation and chocolate flavor.
- Flaky sea salt adds a pleasant salty contrast to the sweet bars; don’t skip this step for best flavor.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh for up to one week.
- These bars are naturally gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats.
