Name: Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup butter flavored shortening (see above if you need a soy free version); 1 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 5 Tbsp water); 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 and 1/2 cups gluten free flour (see post above for options); 2 cups gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (more or less to taste--measure with your heart)

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If you love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, then you are going to die over these oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars because they’re like a cookie on steroids. Thick, soft bars are scrumptious on their own, but if you really want to take it over the top, add some safe vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce and you have an indulgent dessert you won’t soon forget. These gluten free vegan oatmeal chocolate chip bars are free of: wheat, gluten, dairy, egg, fish, shellfish, peanut and tree nuts making them very allergy friendly! (Soy free option too!)

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Why I love these oatmeal chocolate chip bars

Hands down, I’ve always said my favorite cookie is an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. I love the homey taste and texture of oatmeal. It’s just so darn good! Add in melty chocolate chips and it’s just a match made in heaven.

So, instead of having to scoop out a ton of cookies (and then feel bad I ate 6 at a time) I love that I can bake the dough in a pan and have thick cookie bars I can cut as big or as little as I like.

I also love that they can be cut and shoved directly into my mouth, or when feeling fancy or a little extra, I can take some safe vanilla ice cream and drizzle on some chocolate sauce or caramel sauce and feel like I’m at a fancy dessert place all while being in my pajamas watching Netflix!

How are these oatmeal chocolate chip bars gluten free?

To make these gluten free, I use a gluten free flour, and then use certified gluten free oats. If you don’t need it to be gluten free, feel free to use regular flour and regular oats. Whether gluten free or not, I prefer rolled old fashioned oats.

Lately, I’ve been lazy and haven’t been making my own gluten free flour mix. I’ve been using a pre-made mix. If you use mine, or another mix that does not include xanthan, you’ll want to add 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum. When purchasing a store bought mix, look for one that is a rice/potato/tapioca blend. If you cant’ find that, one that has sorghum added to the blend does well too.

How are these oatmeal chocolate chip bars dairy free?

In order to make these dairy free, I use butter flavored shortening instead of butter. And, I use dairy-free chocolate chips. That’s it! It’s that simple. If you want to use a dairy free ice cream on top, we enjoy Nada Moo, So Delicious or O’My for options.

Are these oatmeal chocolate chip bars vegan?

Yes they are! Because we do not use eggs or dairy, or any product derived from animals, these bars are vegan!

What if I can’t have soy, what can I use instead of shortening?

I prefer the butter flavored shortening because it still gives me that buttery taste. If you can’t have soy (which the shortening is made from) you could try using a dairy-free butter alternative, or even a palm shortening. If you do this swap, the recipe will then be top-8-free!

How do I store these oatmeal chocolate chip bars?

I like to keep mine room temperature, but covered tightly, so they don’t dry out. They’ll last 2-3 days, if you’re vigilant about keeping them covered well. I have never frozen them, because we eat them too fast, but I would imagine they’d freeze well too!

What other gluten free vegan cookies do I have?

Because my son is allergic to wheat, dairy and eggs EVERYTHING in my baking recipe index is gluten free vegan. Here are some of our other favorite cookies to help you get your cookie on! (If you can’t tell by the list, we like our cookies!)

Do You Have a Video Showing How to Make Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?

Yes I do! I made a Tiktok video, which is a short and sweet video giving you a general overview of how to make this recipe. Enjoy!

@allergyawesomeness ##glutenfreevegan oatmeal chocolate chip bars. Easy & crave worthy. ##glutenfreebaking ##dairyfreebaking ##veganbaking ##greenscreen

♬ I’m So Hungry – Karter Zaher

Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Yield: 12 squares

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

If you love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, then you are going to die over these oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars because they're like a cookie on steroids. Thick, soft bars are scrumptious all without gluten, dairy or eggs.

Ingredients

1 cup butter flavored shortening (see above if you need a soy free version)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax seeds + 5 Tbsp water)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 and 1/2 cups gluten free flour (see post above for options)
2 cups gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (more or less to taste--measure with your heart)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a stand mixer, or large bowl, cream the shortening and both sugars. Add the flax eggs, and vanilla.

Next add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, oats and flour.

Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.

Press the batter evenly into a greased 8x11 (2 quart) pan, and bake for 25 minutes. (If you don't have an 8x11 pan, which I prefer for my thickness preferences, you can use a 9X13--they will be thinner, and will be cooked sooner, so keep an eye on them between 15-20 minutes.)

Allow to cool before cutting into bars. Store room temperature, covered tightly, or in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Great on their own, or topped with a safe vanilla ice cream and some chocolate sauce or caramel sauce on top.

Notes

ADAPTED FROM: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/

If you're looking for some gluten and dairy free dinners, check out my cookbook: An Allergy Mom's Lifesaving Instant Pot Cookbook.

*Our allergies, while severe and that get re-tested yearly, are such that we can go strictly by what's on the label. I do not call companies to see what things are derived from, or call manufacturers to see about potential cross contact. If your allergies require you to do so, please do your own homework. I cannot assure you of any ingredient's safety, only you can do that. I simply share what works for our family.

**If you are going to feed this to someone with food allergies, and you yourself do not have food allergies, I HIGHLY recommend having them check every single brand and ingredient you are using, to ensure they're OK with each part of the recipe. And, to make sure you've talked to them about how to avoid cross contamination in your kitchen.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 462Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 370mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 4gSugar: 39gProtein: 5g

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. WHILE THERE, BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT MY OTHER GLUTEN FREE VEGAN PINTEREST BOARDS.

Megan Lavin

Hi! I’m Megan, a mom to four kids, two with multiple food allergies & one with EOE. I’m a published cookbook author that constantly tweaks recipes to make them allergy friendly–it’s an addiction. I share every recipe & tip with the hope that they help you as you manage your food allergies & dietary restrictions. You can still be awesome, even with food allergies!

Comments

Megan Childers

May 14, 2021 at 5:12 PM

Think these would turn out ok using dairy free butter sticks i stead of shortening? I want these so bad right now, but i don’t have any shortening.

- Megan Lavin
  
  May 16, 2021 at 8:06 PM
  
  I haven’t personally tried it, but would think so. Please report back 🙂
  
Susan

May 1, 2021 at 6:12 PM

Can I use 2 eggs instead of the flax eggs? Thanks.

- Megan Lavin
  
  May 2, 2021 at 12:56 PM
  
  Yes you can. Enjoy!