Imagine biting into a warm, chewy oatmeal cookie bar—buttery, sweet, and packed with melty chocolate chips. These bars taste just like the ones my mom used to make, but I’ve given them a little upgrade to make them gluten-free and free of refined sugar. They’re made with simple, wholesome ingredients like browned butter (which gives them that rich, nutty flavor), old-fashioned oats, almond flour, maple syrup for natural sweetness, coconut oil, eggs, and—of course—a generous amount of chocolate chips. Because let’s be real, can you ever have too many? These bars are the perfect mix of sweet and salty, loaded with chocolate, and so delicious you won’t believe they’re actually gluten-free.
When I was a kid, my mom had this habit of baking cookies right before dinner. She was (and still is) famous for it in our family. Dessert was always a given in our house—homemade, warm, and ready to eat. The only problem? After eating cookies, we’d all look at each other and ask, “Okay, but what’s actually for dinner?”
Most nights, my dad was the one who cooked dinner. Things are different now, but my mom’s desserts are still legendary—especially her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
She never used fancy techniques or special tools. Just one big bowl, all the ingredients dumped in, mixed together, baked, and done. Sometimes she made them as regular cookies, sometimes as thick, chewy bars—and no matter how she made them, they were always my favorite.
After all the holiday baking (and eating), I wanted to take my mom’s classic recipe and make it a little healthier without losing any of the flavor. Instead of canola oil, I use a mix of brown butter (which adds that deep, caramel-like taste) and coconut oil. I swapped refined sugar for maple syrup and used almond flour instead of regular flour to keep them gluten-free.
But don’t worry—these are just as easy to make as Mom’s version. One bowl, no complicated steps, and in less than 30 minutes, you’ll have the most delicious cookie bars—crispy on the edges, soft in the middle, with pools of melted chocolate and that irresistible brown butter flavor.
What You’ll Need:
Ingredients:
- Salted butter (for browning—it makes all the difference!)
- Old-fashioned oats (I always use Bob’s Red Mill—they’re the best)
- Almond flour (again, Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite)
- Baking soda (to help them rise just a little)
- Salt (to balance the sweetness)
- Melted coconut oil (adds moisture and richness)
- Maple syrup (for natural sweetness)
- Eggs (to hold everything together)
- Vanilla extract (for that warm, cozy flavor)
- Chocolate chips (the more, the better—I won’t judge)
Tools:
No fancy equipment here! Just a skillet (for browning the butter), a mixing bowl, and a baking pan.
How to Make Them:
Step 1: Brown the Butter
This is where the magic happens. Browning butter gives these bars an incredible nutty, caramel-like flavor. Just melt salted butter in a skillet over medium heat and let it cook until it turns a golden-brown color and smells amazing. It should look toasty and smell like heaven—just don’t walk away, because it can burn fast!
Step 2: Mix the Dough
In a big bowl, toss together the oats, almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add the melted coconut oil, brown butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. You don’t have to add them in any special order—just dump everything in and mix until it’s all combined. (But hold off on the chocolate chips for now
Step 3: Add Chocolate & Bake
Now, stir in the chocolate chips—I like using semi-sweet or dark chocolate, but you can use whatever you love. Spread the dough into a baking pan and pop it in the oven for about 25 minutes.
When they come out, the edges will be golden and crisp, but the middle will still be soft and gooey. You can eat them warm (they’ll be messy, but that’s half the fun) or let them cool if you want cleaner slices. Either way, they’re perfect—chewy, sweet, a little salty, and packed with chocolate in every bite.
This recipe makes about 24 bars, so they’re great for sharing… if you feel like sharing.
