OATMEAL COOKIE FUDGE BARS

If an oatmeal cookie and fudge brownie had a baby, their offspring would be these bars. Chewy, fudgy, and an absolute crowd-pleaser.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes

I made these Oatmeal Cookie Fudge Bars for the first time at the beginning of the new year. My husband, Josh, and I were headed up to northern Minnesota for a weekend away at one of our best friends' cabins. I volunteered to bring a dessert (a surprise to no one), and I knew I wanted it to be simple, easy to transport, and everyone would enjoy.

Luckily for me, Broma Bakery shared her recipe for these bars and that's when my love affair with them began. Since January, I've made this recipe three times — each time making my own personal tweaks and changes along the way.

Now, these bars have become one of my go-to, no-brainer recipes that I'm confident everyone will love. They are soft, chewy, and fudgy right out of the oven and somehow just as delicious a few days later after they've hardened up a bit with a scoop of ice cream on top.

for extra chewy bars: bake closer to twenty-five mins!

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YIELD: 9 LARGE or 16 SMALL SQUARES

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

INGREDIENTS FOR FUDGE:

• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (about half of a 14-ounce can)

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a stand mixer, beat together the room temperature butter and both the light and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy - approx. 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, egg, and mix again until it’s fully combined.

4. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and combine. The batter will be on the thicker (even a bit sticky!) side. Don’t worry.

5. Take 1/2 of the dough and press it down into an even layer on the bottom of your 8x8 pan.
   →If you’re unsure about it being 1/2 the batter, err on the side of caution and add a bit more!

6. Next comes the fudge. Add your chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl along with the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and butter. Microwave at 30-second intervals (mixing in between) until it’s silky smooth. Keep an eye on it, as it can burn easily if not watched.

7. Spread the fudge mixture over the oatmeal cookie layer using the back of a spoon. Then, crumble the remaining cookie dough over the fudge mixture, leaving some areas of fudge uncovered.

8. Bake at 350°F for 25-28 minutes until golden brown.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (approx. 15 minutes) before enjoying!

Recipe adapted from Broma Bakery, a recipe developer I admire and adore.