One of my absolute favorite cookies are oatmeal cookies. I love them chewy in the middle with crisp edges. I love them crispy through and through. I love them filled with raisins, or filled with nuts, or chocolate chips, or all three! I JUST LOVE OATMEAL COOKIES, any which way I can get them.
I was perusing Pinterest one day last week and discovered this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars on a blog called Tastes Better From Scratch. They looked and sounded delicious!
They are like oatmeal cookies, but in bar shape. No fussing about with scooping or dropping onto baking sheets. You just make the dough, press it into a baking tin, bake and then cut into squares.
I am all for easy. And these looked incredibly easy. I didn't want a full 9 by 13 inch baking pan of them however. With only me in the house, I just can't handle that much when it comes to sweets, especially dangerously delicious ones.
When God was handing out willpower he must have run out of it by the time he got to me. Because I have no willpower when it comes to certain things. Potato chips, French fries, cookies, cakes, etc. If it is bad for you, I don't seem to have the power to resist it.
In short, it is dangerous for me to have things like this in the house in any huge quantity. I can handle a small amount, and do give what I can away to family or friends. What am I doing in this job! I should get danger pay! LOL
I do like to bake something tasty at the weekend as a treat however. Its something I have done for years and years. I knew I had to bake these delicious looking bars and so I decided to cut the recipe in half and then share them with my family.
A joy shared is a joy doubled right? I knew nobody would be complaining!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS (SMALL BATCH)
Simple every day baking ingredients.
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (105g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 cup (80g) old fashioned oats
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Just use regular butter for these. I only ever really have regular butter in the house. If you are afraid that they will be too salty (I can promise you they are not) then leave the salt out of the recipe, or cut it down. I think you need at least a little bit of salt.
A little bit of salt helps to enhance the flavor of sweet things.
I always use free range eggs and pure vanilla extract. I started using organic sugar when I moved back to Canada. My sister uses organic and I liked it. Its unbleached and tastes nice. I buy it in big bags from Costco.
I also use the chocolate chips that you can buy at Costco, Kirkland brand. They are the best. Nice and chocolatey.
I always use large flake natural oatmeal when I am baking. Don't be tempted to use quick oats or instant oats. You want oats with a tooth for these. Call me quirky, but I also only keep large flake natural oatmeal in my house as well.
You can't beat them for their wholesome, toothy, nutty flavor!
HOW TO MAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Nothing could be easier. Mix, spread, bake, cool and cut. Yummy!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang for ease of removal.Cream together the butter and both sugars with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the creamed mixture, combining well. Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.Press the mixture into the baking tin, leveling everything off as best as you can.Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.Cut into squares when completely cold.
Do make sure you allow them to cool completely before you cut them into bars or squares. They cut so much neater.
These are incredibly moreish. Crispy edges, chewy middles. Buttery. Loaded with sweet chocolate chips. Loads of wholesome nuttiness from the oats. It really doesn't get much better than this.
If you are a fan of the cookie bar then you will probably also love these!
GINGER CREAM BARS - A cake type of bar very reminiscent of gingerbread, but chewy, with crisp edges. Incredibly moist as well with a lush buttercream frosting. Spiced just right!
MAGIC COOKIE BARS - This is a small batch recipe for your favorite magic cookie bars. Ingredients are simply layered in a tin and baked. Buttery cookie crumb base, toasted pecans, three kinds of chocolate chips (semi-sweet, white and peanut butter), flaked coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Incredibly moreish!
Yield: 12 squaresAuthor: Marie Rayner
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (small batch)
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 MinThick, chewy, buttery and incredibly moreish. Need I say anything else? These are perfect.Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (105g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 cup (80g) old fashioned oats
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang for ease of removal.
- Cream together the butter and both sugars with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the creamed mixture, combining well. Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.
- Press the mixture into the baking tin, leveling everything off as best as you can.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut into squares when completely cold.
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