Easy Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars with Oatmeal
Easy Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars with Oatmeal are a sweet snack you can make in under an hour. This chewy bar recipe is simple, frugal, and a great way to use pantry staples or even leftovers from other baking projects.
How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars with Oatmeal
Chewy chocolate chip granola bars are the kind of snack that keeps kids and adults happy. They have a soft consistency with a little bit of crunch from rice cereal and old-fashioned oats, making them an easy way to whip up a batch for school lunches, bake sales, or an afternoon treat.
Looking for another oatmeal-based snack bar? Make a batch of these easy apple crisp bars.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Ingredients
Here are the ingredient amounts you’ll need for these chewy chocolate chip bars. A prepared pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil with a foil overhang makes cleanup easier and helps with cutting the bars later.
- 5 cups rice cereal
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 cups light corn syrup
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
You can also mix in other kinds of chocolate chips, such as milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or even butterscotch chips, depending on what you have on hand. I used the chips left over from my 4-ingredient chocolate chip cookies. Leftover chocolate chunks from holiday baking or broken chocolate bars from the grocery store work well here, too.
Directions
This bar cookie recipe is straightforward and comes together quickly. You’ll use a large bowl for the dry ingredients and a medium saucepan for the wet ingredients before combining everything in a square baking pan or on a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats and rice cereal.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add ⅓ cup oil, corn syrup, vanilla, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Let it boil for about 45 seconds, then remove from heat.
- Pour the hot mixture over the oats and rice cereal. Use a rubber spatula to coat everything evenly.
- Line a baking sheet or 13-inch pan with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray. Press the mixture firmly into the pan. Lay a second sheet of parchment on top and use a rolling pin to flatten it evenly to the edges of the pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining oil with ¾ cup of chocolate chips. Microwave in 45-second intervals, stirring with a butter knife until smooth. If needed, heat for another 15 seconds at a time.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate across the top in a crisscross pattern. While the topping is still wet, sprinkle the remaining mini chocolate chips evenly. For extra flavor, try adding a pinch of flaky sea salt.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Once firm, lift the slab out by the parchment or foil overhang and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into individual bars.
These chewy chocolate chip bars store best in an airtight container. Layer them between parchment sheets to prevent sticking. For longer storage, wrap individual bars in foil and place them in zip-top bags.
Why This Is a Good Recipe for Leftovers
One reason I love this chewy bar recipe is that it makes good use of all sorts of leftover baking supplies. I’ve made this with a tablespoon of shredded coconut, and even chopped up leftover maple syrup marshmallows to add to the bowl.
If you’ve ever had half a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, a few butterscotch chips, or an opened box of rice cereal that went soft at the edges, this recipe is a great way to finish them. Even leftover oatmeal apple cookies that went stale can be crumbled and mixed in for extra crunch.
If you liked my apple crisp bars recipe, you’ll appreciate how flexible these chewy granola bars can be. They’re a great dessert or snack in bar form and can be adjusted to use what you already have in your pantry.
Serving Ideas
Serve these chewy chocolate chip cereal bars straight from the pan or warm a bar slightly and add a scoop of ice cream for a decadent treat. For variety, mix in mini m&m candies, nuts, or leftover chocolate chunks. These bars also make a great snack on the go—just wrap them in parchment and tuck them in a lunchbox.
They’re soft, chewy, and perfect for anyone who prefers bars over cookies for a snack. The edges of the pan give you crisp bites, while the center stays chewy with the best flavor balance of chocolate and oats.
When you’re looking for your next go-to cookie recipe, these chewy chocolate chip bars may just earn a permanent spot on your list of favorite recipes. You could even serve them alongside pecan pie bars for a dessert tray that covers both crunchy and chewy.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars FAQs
Have questions about this chocolate chip oatmeal bar recipe? Here are answers to some of the most common ones. If you don’t see your question listed, leave it in the comments below.
Can I use different kinds of chocolate chips?
Yes. This recipe works with semi-sweet chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and even dark chocolate. Mixing different kinds of chocolate chips gives the bars more depth. You can also chop leftover chocolate bars into chunks for a rustic look.
How should I store chewy cookie bars?
These chewy chocolate chip bars should be cooled completely on a wire rack before cutting. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days, or wrap them tightly in foil and freeze. For easy grab-and-go snacks, wrap individual bars and store them in zip-top bags.
Can I add extra ingredients for variety?
Yes. Adding butterscotch chips, mini M&Ms, or even leftover nuts gives you a chewy cookie bar with new flavors. You can also sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top before chilling for contrast. Try this the next time you’re making homemade granola bars if you want more ideas for mix-ins.
Simple frugal granola bars
Easy Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars with Oatmeal are a simple, flexible, and frugal dessert. Whether you use leftover dry ingredients from your last baking session or mix in whatever kind of chocolate chips you have, this chewy bar recipe is a great dessert to keep on hand for your family.
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars with Oatmeal and Rice Cereal
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 5 cups rice cereal
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups light corn syrup
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil divided
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini-chocolate chips divided
Instructions
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, fully incorporate the oats and rice cereal.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the 1/3 cup oil, corn syrup, vanilla, cocoa powder, and brown sugar.
- Stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Let boil for 45 seconds and then remove from heat.
- Pour syrup over the oats and rice cereal and begin to work it with a spatula until oats and cereal are fully coated
- Place parchment paper on a medium-sized cookie sheet and pour the mixture on top.
- Spread to mostly cover the whole cookie sheet.
- Place another sheet of parchment over the mixture and using a rolling pin, evenly flatten the mixture to cover the whole sheet and form into one large bar.
- In a bowl, add the remaining oil and 3/4 cup of chocolate chips. Microwave for 45 seconds. Remove and stir gently until incorporated. If you need more melting, microwave 15 seconds at a time until the sauce is smooth.
- Drizzle the sauce across the entire pan of granola in a crisscross or lattice pattern. I like to put the chocolate sauce in a food squeeze bottle.
- Sprinkle the chips across the whole sheet evenly while the sauce is still wet. Place in the refrigerator.
- Let cool for 1 hour then remove from sheet and cut into desired size bars. I cut the bars into 5 sections high and 8 sections across resulting in 32 bars.
