Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Published:

November 14, 2020

Last Modified:

May 6, 2024

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are one of the best vegan chocolate bars ever. Layered with oats, apples, nuts, and more. It’s a perfect recipe for a snack at any time of the day.

Three layered square treats stacked on top of each other in a green bowl.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars have turned out to be the bar that is made mostly in our house. Bars are so easy to make, and they seem to be really appreciated.

There is a bit of apple in the top layer along with the chocolate. Tart Granny Smith apples are used to have the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

You could use any of your favorite baking apple varieties because it will all be good, but I’m partial to Granny Smith’s. They bake up so beautifully with a nice balance to the sweets.

These oatmeal chocolate chip bars are really really easy to make and you will have a great treat in no time.

Here is a view of the ingredients and they all come together perfectly for these tasty layers. Watch the video so you can see how easy it is.

Overhead photo of all of the ingredients in their own small bowls.

Best apples for baking

  • These are the most readily available from the east coast to the west coast.
  • Braeburn
  • Honeycrisp
  • Fuji
  • Cortland
  • Granny Smith (my fav)
  • Gala
  • Golden Delicious
  • Gravenstein
  • Winesap
  • Jonagold
  • Jonathan
  • McIntosh

This vegan chocolate bars recipe fills a nice large pan size measuring 9″ x 13″. The layers are nice and thick with lots of texture.

If these chocolate chip bars didn’t already have the best base layer the topping really puts them over the top.

The topping is a crumbly mix that you can put in your hand and sprinkle nice and thick. Besides that, it bakes up nice and crispy/chewy with all the flavors working so well with each other.

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat flour adds more nutrients and gives the treat some weight.
  • Organic brown sugar sweetens layers with a deep rich sweetness.
  • Coconut sugar adds a different type of sweet flavor in a very understated way.
  • Baking soda helps the bars rise.
  • Dairy free butter adds the buttery creaminess needed for the layers.
  • Quick-cooking oats add heft and nutrients to the base.
  • Granny Smith apples are fruity and tart which makes them just right so many times in baking recipes.
  • Chocolate Chips add a mild crunch and more sweetened chocolate flavor.
  • Walnuts add protein and another mild crunch factor.
Chocolate Chip bars stacked on top of each other on a wooden picnic table.

Instructions

  • In a large bowl mix the flour, sugars, and baking soda.
Two process photos of the dry ingredients being measured and stirred.
  • Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles a coarse meal.
  • You can use any of your favorite dairy-free butter whether it is in stick form or from a tub just make sure it’s cold.
Two process photos showing butter being cut into the dry mixture.
  • Press half of the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
  • To the remaining flour mixture add the oats, apples, chocolate, and nuts.
Two process photos of chopped apples, chocolate, oats, and nuts being worked into the mix.
  • Sprinkle onto the top of the mixture that is already in the pan so there are two layers.
  • Press in very lightly.
  • Bake at 375° F for 35 to 40 minutes.
9x13" baking pan filled with vegan chocolaet bars waiting to cool and be cut.
  • Cool 5 minutes and cut into bars.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Best apple recipes

Next to these apple crumb bars are some shining recipes that I think you just might like to check out.

And do you know there are eighteen more Apple Recipes on this blog? Thumbs up!

Can you freeze these bars

  • After the vegan chocolate bars have cooled you may freeze them in a freezer bag or in a hard sided freezer container.
  • They defrost quickly so it really doesn’t take any planning. Just put them on a plate for an hour or two and enjoy.
Three vegan chocolate bars stacked in a green bowl.

Three layered square treats stacked on top of each other in a green bowl.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Ginny McMeans
4.7800 from 9 votes
Chocolate Apple Bars turned out to be one of the best bars ever. Layered with chocolaty goodness for a perfect snack any time of the day.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 24 Servings

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 organic brown sugar – firmly packed
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup dairy-free butter – so you can cut it into the flour mixture
  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples – cut into little pieces
  • 16 ounces chocolate chips
  • 1 cup walnuts – chopped into small pieces. The Food Processor works really well for this.

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with softened vegan butter or coconut oil.
  • In a large bowl mix the flour, sugars and baking soda.
  • Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles coarse meal.
  • Press half of the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
  • To the remaining flour mixture add the oats, apples, chocolate and nuts.
  • Sprinkle onto the top of the mixture that is already in the pan so there are two layers. Press in very lightly.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Cool 5 minutes and cut into bars.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Video

Nutrition

Serving:1Serving, Calories:221kcal, Carbohydrates:22g, Protein:3g, Fat:13g, Saturated Fat:4g, Cholesterol:2mg, Sodium:103mg, Potassium:73mg, Fiber:2g, Sugar:13g, Vitamin A:300IU, Vitamin C:0.5mg, Calcium:34mg, Iron:0.8mg

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Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Hi, my name is Ginny and it is fantastic that you have come to visit and see my recipes. I have a positive attitude and can’t seem to be in nature enough. My North American bird count is 678 and I’m always watching for mammals and insects too. My head is stuffed full of recipes that I want to create and life is just to dang short. The recipes feature healthy and delicious vegan food that you can enjoy now or freeze for future meals. Read more about me . . .

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