Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

These Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are a delicious bar cookie made with simple ingredients. They are soft and chewy, with lots of chocolate and perfect for any occasion. They are kinda like oatmeal cookies but without waiting for the dough to chill. So next time you are craving a decadent dessert, I recommend baking up a batch of gluten-free oatmeal chocolate chip bars. Serve them still warm with a generous scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: You can make this easy recipe for gluten-free oatmeal chocolate chip bars with any gluten-free flour blend you have on hand. I have tested the recipe with my own flour blend as well as Bob's Red Mill 1-1. These flour blends contain a variety of gluten-free flours as well as xanthan gum. A single flour such as oat flour or almond flour will not work in this recipe.

Gluten Free Oats: For the best results I recommend using old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Quick Oats are too thin and you will lose the texture of this cookie bar. If you are celiac or gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free oats.

VERY IMPORTANT REGARDING OATS: Please make sure to purchase certified gluten-free oats if you have celiac or a wheat allergy. While oats are naturally gluten-free there are often problems with processing and manufacturing. I buy my gluten-free oats from Thrive Market, Bob’s Red Mill or GF Harvest PureOats. However, you can not make this recipe without oats. I recommend checking out my Gluten Free Blondie Recipe instead.

Milk Powder: Whole Milk Powder or Non-Fat Milk Powder is an optional ingredient in this recipe.

Chocolate: I use dark chocolate in these gluten-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars (64% or darker). Milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate (or even white chocolate) works great in this recipe.

How to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

These gluten-free oatmeal cookie bars are very easy to make. Make sure the butter and egg are at room temperature. You can make this recipe with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Either use an 8x8 inch pan or a 9x9 inch pan.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some overhang so you can easily remove the oatmeal bars from the pan.

Step 2: Combine the gluten-free flour, oats, baking soda, kosher salt, milk powder (if using), ground cinnamon, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer combine the room temperature unsalted butter, white sugar, and light brown sugar. Beat at medium speed for 3-4 minutes until fluffy and pale. Halfway through, pause to scrape the bowl and beater with a flexible spatula.

Step 4: With the mixer running on low, add the egg and vanilla extract, letting it fully incorporate. Pause your mixer to scrape down the sides and add the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated.

Step 5: Mix in the chocolate chips and transfer the oatmeal cookie bar dough to the prepared pan. With your hands or a small offset, smooth out the cookie dough (you can lightly grease your hands with non-stick spray to make this easier). Top with additional dark chocolate chips if you like.

Step 6: Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester has some moist crumbs sticking to it. I recommend rather underbake than overbake these bars. This will give them a chewy texture. Remove them from the oven, place them on a wire rack and allow them to cool in the baking pan. If you like sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top of the bars.

Step 7: These chocolate chip oatmeal bars are delicious when still warm but can be tricky to cut. So it is up to you if you want them to cool fully or dig in while they are still warm. The melty chocolate chips are so good in these gooey cookie bars.

Store any leftovers you may have in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Are Oats Gluten Free?

While oats are naturally gluten-free, it’s the growing, harvesting, and processing that can cause issues for celiacs and people with gluten allergies. Oats often grow near wheat which can cause issues.

There are 3 categories of Oats in the US. Please be aware in many countries outside the US, oats are not part of a gluten-free diet.

Standard oats are most likely contaminated with wheat, rye, and barley and should be avoided by celiacs by all means. The first brand that comes to my mind is Quaker Oats.

Mechanically sorted oats have undergone sorting by a machine to separate oats by length, density, and color from wheat, barley, and rye grain. This method of sorting oats from gluten isn’t foolproof. A very well-known product using mechanically sorted oats is Cheerios.

Purity Protocol Oats – Growers are required to have a three-year gluten-free crop rotation, and annual field inspections to ensure their fields are free of gluten grains. After extensive testing, those oats are “certified gluten-free.”

FAQ about Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars