I love sweets so much that sometimes I need to make them better-for-me, and so I developed this recipe for Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars to create a resolution! They are so gooey and moist, and also gluten free with a dairy free option!

gooey almond oatmeal chocolate chunk bars

This is a delicious decadent-feeling cookie bar that is made with nutrient dense ingredients that will satisfy both my hunger and my sweet sweet cravings!

INGREDIENTS FOR GOOEY ALMOND OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS:

butter OR coconut oil -- I'm not here to tell you that coconut oil is "healthier" than butter... but if you have dietary restrictions and you want to make this recipe vegan, then coconut oil works! I've tested it both ways. The "healthy" part is that you only need 3 tablespoons regardless of which kind of fat you choose to use!

brown sugar -- these are a dessert after all so sugar is necessary, but just ⅔ cup. That's much less than the usual 1 cup called for in brownies or regular chocolate chip cookie bars. You can use light or dark brown sugar, but dark brown sugar has twice the amount of molasses in it which gives these an extra gooey texture and rich flavour.

egg -- this is the binder here and also adds moisture. I haven't tested this with a flax egg, but you can try blending 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoon water as a substitute for a vegan option.

almond butter -- this is the key ingredient! Not only is it tasty but it contributes a lot of the protein and fat to provide structure to hold these together. Make sure you use unsweetened, natural almond butter... the kind that you have to stir. If yours is salted, then omit the added salt in the recipe.

almond flour -- I use fine almond flour made from ground blanched almonds. It adds more structure to these and absorbs moisture.

rolled oats -- regular large flake rolled oats add great texture, binding, and not to mention water-binding fiber to these yummy bars!

dark chocolate chips -- I use 70% bittersweet chocolate chips with intense cocoa flavour. Feel free to use whichever chocolate you prefer.

baking soda -- this helps with the browning of these bars for a golden crust and also helps them puff just a little bit without being cakey. Trust me these are NOT cakey!

vanilla extract -- vanilla and almond pair so well together and it really enhances the flavour.

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS:

This recipe is so easy! All the ingredients are mixed in one bowl and you can be enjoying these bars in 30 minutes from start to finish!

combine wet ingredients in a large bowl: egg, brown sugar, milk, melted butter/oil, vanilla and almond butter

add dry ingredients one at a time: stir in almond flour, oats, baking soda and salt

stir in chocolate chips

bake until evenly golden and slightly puffed around the edges, and still soft in the middle

let cool completely in the pan and then refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing

If you like gluten free and/or vegan recipes, check out my other recipes from this site below!

Easy Almond Raspberry Lemon BarsHealthier Homemade Tahini Twix BarsHealthy Homemade Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter CupsDouble Chocolate Zucchini Bread