Oatmeal fudge bars aka a cookie bar stuffed with a thick layer of fudge.
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oatmeal fudge bars
I hadn’t heard of oatmeal fudge bars until recently, but when I found out about them I instantly knew I had to make my own. Looking around the internet, it seems that oatmeal fudge bars gained most of their popularity from Starbuck’s version of them. However, those bars are more oat than cookie. These oatmeal fudge bars are a cookie bar that is filled with a layer of fudge. It really doesn’t get better than this!
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Mix the dough carefully:
When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Over mixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the cookies thicker and more tough in texture.
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
oatmeal fudge bars ingredients –
- All purpose flour: for structure and chewiness.
- Rolled oats: for texture. I recommend using rolled oats because they lend a better texture to the bars. If you would like to use quick or instant oats you can, just note that they will change the texture of the bars.
- Baking soda: for leavening.
- Baking powder: for leavening.
- Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the cookie bars.
- Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the dough. If using salted butter be sure to reduce the salt in the recipe from 1/2 tsp. to a scant 1/4 tsp.
- Light brown sugar: sweetens, adds moisture, and adds a depth of flavor to the cookie bars.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens and helps retain moisture in the dough.
- Egg: for binding the dough together and adding moisture to the dough.
- Vanilla: for flavoring. This is my favorite vanilla extract.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: for the fudge layer. You can substitute in a semi sweet chocolate baking bar as well.
- Sweetened condensed milk: for the fudge layer.
tools and ingredients:
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other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
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Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- 140 g all purpose flour
- 60 g rolled oats
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 113 g unsalted butter
- 90 g light brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Fudge
- 200 g semi sweet chocolate chips
- 170 g sweetened condensed milk
- 15 g unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp. salt
Instructions
Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Butter and line an 8" square pan with parchment paper.
- In the microwave, melt the butter. Pour it into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla until very well combined.
- Add in the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together just until no flour streaks remain. Set aside.
Fudge
- Add the chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, butter, and salt to a medium sized saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat, and stir occasionally until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer ~⅔ of the cookie dough to the prepared baking pan. Use your hands or the back of a measuring cup to pat the dough down into an even layer.
- Pour the fudge over the cookie layer and smooth it out into an even layer.
- Place small pieces of the remaining cookie dough randomly over the fudge layer (It will not be fully covered – this is okay).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the dough turns golden brown. Wait for the bars to cool to room temperature before slicing. Serve, and enjoy!