Gooey, chewy, and loaded with rich chocolate flavor, these Layered Oatmeal Chocolate Bars are always a hit. With a buttery oat base, a thick, fudgy chocolate-pecan center, and a crumbly oat topping, they’ve got all the goodness of a cookie without any of the fuss. No scooping, no rolling – just layer, bake, and enjoy.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’ve made these bars more times than I can count, and they’re always one of the first things to disappear at gatherings. I even bring them to book signings, since they’re in A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®, and they never fail to draw a crowd (and help sell more than a few books!).
Here’s what makes them such a standout:
- Irresistible texture – gooey center, chewy base, and crumbly topping.
- Rich, chocolatey flavor with a nutty twist from pecans.
- Easy to prepare – no scooping, rolling, or cutting needed.
- Great for making ahead and transporting.
- A proven crowd-pleaser, making them perfect for parties or gifting.
Ingredients in This Oatmeal Chocolate Bars Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make these rich, gooey layered oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (quantities are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post):
Chocolate Pecan Layer
- Salted butter – or use unsalted and add a pinch of salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – just the right balance of richness and sweetness
- Evaporated milk (full fat) – adds creaminess without extra sweetness and helps create a smooth, fudgy texture
- Granulated sugar – adds structure and balances the chocolate
- Toasted chopped pecans – toasting brings out warm, nutty flavor
Cookie (Oat) Layers
- Salted butter – or use unsalted with a pinch of salt
- Light brown sugar – adds caramel flavor and creates a chewy texture
- Egg – adds moisture and binds the dough
- Vanilla extract – adds warmth and ties the flavors together
- All-purpose flour – provides structure
- Baking soda – helps the layers spread slightly and stay tender
- Quick-cooking oats – you can use old-fashioned regular oats, but I prefer the finer texture of quick oats for these bars
Quick oats vs. old-fashioned oats
Quick-cooking oats are steamed longer and rolled thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats, making them partially cooked. They blend more easily into the dough and bake up softer, giving the bars a more cohesive texture. Old-fashioned oats are heartier and chewier, which gives the bars a slightly more rustic feel. Both work – use what you prefer or have on hand.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Layered Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
(Scroll down for the full recipe in the card below.)
Step 1: Prep the pan.
Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. A 7×11-inch pan also works.
Step 2: Make the chocolate layer.
In a small saucepan, melt butter, chocolate chips, evaporated milk, and sugar. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in the toasted pecans, and set aside to cool.
Step 3: Make the oat cookie layer dough.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar, then beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, and 1 3/4 cups oats.
Step 4: Press the base.
Press about 3/4 of the dough into the bottom of the pan. 
Step 5: Add chocolate layer.
Spread the cooled chocolate mixture over the oat base. 
Step 6: Add oat topping.
Stir the remaining 1/4 cup oats into the leftover dough. Crumble and sprinkle over chocolate. 
Step 7: Bake.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Step 8: Cool, refrigerate and cut.
Cool completely, refrigerate, then cut into bars.
How to Store Layered Oatmeal Chocolate Bars
Once cooled and cut, store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for up to 1 week – if they last that long! For longer storage, you can also freeze them. Place in a single layer (or separate layers with waxed paper), seal tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Tips for Success
Do:
- Use full-fat evaporated milk. The low-fat or skim versions can make the chocolate layer too thin.
- Double-check the milk can size. You want the small 5-ounce can, not the larger one.
- Toast the chopped pecans. It brings out their warm, nutty flavor and adds depth. (You can also now purchase already toasted and chopped pecans.)
- Line the pan with parchment paper. It makes it much easier to lift out and cut the bars cleanly.
- Chill before cutting. Refrigerating the bars after they cool helps them firm up for neater slices.
- Use quick-cooking oats. Old-fashioned oats work, but I prefer the softer texture quick oats provide in this recipe.
Don’t:
- Don’t overbake. The top should be lightly golden. Overbaking dries out the oat layers. Oven temperatures can vary, so start checking to see if it’s done at 20 minutes.
- Don’t leave the topping pieces too big. Crumble the remaining dough into small pieces so it covers the chocolate layer evenly.
Other Bar Cookie and Brownie Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
- Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Pecan Chocolate Toffee Bars
- The Best Lemon Bars – Easy Family Recipe
- Cheesecake Squares
- Chewy Chocolate Brownies
- Quick and Easy Blonde Brownies
Layered Oatmeal Chocolate Bars Recipe
Gooey, chewy, and loaded with rich chocolate flavor, these Layered Oatmeal Chocolate Bars are always a hit. With a buttery oat base, a thick, fudgy chocolate-pecan center, and a crumbly oat topping, they’ve got all the goodness of a cookie without any of the fuss. No scooping, no rolling – just layer, bake, and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling and Refrigeration Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 3 dozen cookies 1x
Ingredients
Chocolate Pecan Layer
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 small can (5 ounce) full-fat evaporated milk – see Note
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
Note: Be sure to use the small (5 oz) can of full-fat evaporated milk. Using a larger one will make the chocolate layer too runny. If you can only find the larger can, use a scant 2/3 cup.
Cookie Layers
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats, divided use
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper (a 7 by 11-inch pan will also work).
Chocolate Pecan Layer
- In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, chocolate chips, milk, and sugar. Cook, stirring, until melted, smooth and well blended.
- Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Set aside to cool while you make the cookie layer.
Cookie Layers
- With an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended, around 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until well blended.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and 1 3/4 cups of the oats. Stir into the butter mixture just until combined.
Assembly
- Press 3/4 of the cookie dough (around 3 cups) into the bottom of the prepared pan, pushing down with moistened fingers into a tight, even layer.
- Pour chocolate mixture evenly over the top, spreading into an even layer.
- Mix the remaining 1/4 cup oats into the remainder of the cookie dough. Break into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over the chocolate layer.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate before cutting into 36 bars. (I cut them into 18 pieces, then cut those in half.) Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Notes
High Altitude: Add 3 to 4 tablespoons flour.
- Category: cookies, desserts, make ahead, picnic, potluck
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 51.2 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.9 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 14.9 mg
I don’t understand the other comments from people who had issues with this recipe. Came out perfect for me! Maybe the gal who had runny chocolate layer used the large can of milk instead of the small. These are now a fav in our family!
Thanks Suzannah. I think you may be right about the milk can size. I’m doing an update to this post today, and I’ll emphasize that
There is a mistake in this recipe. Is it supposed to say “sweetened condensed milk” rather than evaporated? Because I just made the recipe as written and the chocolate layer is the consistency of chocolate milk. I just spent $10 worth of ingredients to make a completely worthless mass of dough and have no dessert.
Adrienne,
I’m so sorry our recipe didn’t work for you. There isn’t a typo – evaporated milk is the correct ingredient. Perhaps you didn’t let the chocolate sauce cool long enough? Because of the butter in the chocolate sauce, it thickens as it sits and cools.
something was very wrong with the ingredients in this recipe. sounded so good – everything was runny and had to cook the bottom first. hoping it will still magically turn out ok!
Julie – I’m sorry you were having an issue with our recipe. With 3 cups dry ingredients vs 1/2 cup butter and 1 egg, I’m not sure why it would come out runny. Maybe the butter was too soft. Or, are you sure you put in all the oats called for in the bottom layer (1 3/4 cups)?
If I want to put in a 9×13 pan should I double the ingredients?
A 9 by 13-inch pan’s volume is 52% larger than a 7 by 11-inch pan and 44% larger than a 9-inch square pan. So, I would multiply the ingredients by 1.5, not 2!