Oatmeal Cookie Bars (Vegan & Gluten Free Recipe)

Healthy oatmeal cookie bars that are simple to make and travel friendly. They are plant based and gluten free making for a delicious allergy friendly sweet treat.

This recipe is dedicated to my brother, Shiv Panikker. If it was not for him I wouldn’t have ventured into gluten free and vegan baking. A couple of years ago just after COVID had hit, he was coming to visit us in Dubai after a very long time. To welcome him home I wanted to make something he would like to eat and considering he cannot eat any gluten, dairy or eggs I had to get my thinking cap on. Which is what led me to this recipe. Now I make it in doubled batches and send them to him in Bombay – which is why I know for sure they are travel friendly.

When making vegan or gluten free recipes or any allergy friendly recipes that lean on the “healthier” or cleaner side the main point for me is make sure it tastes just as good as the real deal. It shouldn’t have a cardboard aftertaste in anyway, if it does – I have failed and would need to start again. So I can promise you this recipe is chewy, soft, crispy on the edges and fudgy, they hold their shape once cooled and come together easily making for a quick and delicious sweet treat. Truth be told, I also make them casually when he is not around because we absolutely adore having them with milk.

What is oatmeal cookie made of?

An oatmeal cookie is a cookie dough that consists of oats, most often than not, rolled oats. They give the cookies a very chewy and soft texture once baked. They can be baked as cookies or baked into cookie bars.

What makes these oatmeal bars healthy?

Truthfully I am not someone who endorses the whole healthy recipe bit but if the ingredients in the recipe are wholesome, better for you, still enjoyable and higher in nutrition then I would suggest it as healthy, in saying this the oatmeal cookies are made with no bleached flour, a coconut sugar which is natural and uses oil in place of butter for a lighter cookie recipe.

What ingredients do you need to make these Oatmeal Cookie Bars?

To make these healthy oatmeal cookie bars we need oil, cold water, coconut sugar, vanilla, gluten free all purpose flour, gluten free rolled oats, gluten free oat flour, salt, chocolate chunks, hazelnuts and baking powder.

What substitutes can you use to make these Oatmeal Cookie Bars?

For the oil I would suggest using coconut or olive oil, avocado oil is a good option as well. The cold water is ESSENTIAL so if you are like me and don’t keep cold water in the house, make sure to place a cup in the fridge before getting started. Instead of the coconut sugar you can use any dry sweetener of you choice. The gluten free all purpose flour mix is a must here, you can use any brand you like but any cup for cup measure will work here. We need rolled oats to make this recipe, instant will not work here. To make the oat flour just blend the oats until it is a powder. If you are not a fan of hazelnuts use any nuts of your choice. Also I like chocolate chunks but chocolate chip are good too.

What equipment do you need to make these Oatmeal Cookie Bars?

To make the cookie dough we need a mixing bowl, whisk and rubber spatula. I used chocolate chunks which I cut with a knife and board. The cookie is baked in a quarter sheet pan aka 9×13 inch tray that is lined with baking paper in the oven.

How to make these Oatmeal Cookie Bars?

Preheat the oven to 180℃ and line a 9×13 sheet tray with baking paper, set aside.In a bowl whisk the oil and coconut sugar until smooth. Add the cold water, vanilla and whisk well until thick. Add the gluten free all purpose flour, oat flour, rolled oats, chocolate chunks, hazelnuts, baking powder, salt and fold together using a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared baking tray and bake for 15-17 minutes until the edges are set and the top is dry to the touch. Allow it to cool in the tray and cut into squares. Serve with milk.

Serving and storing these Oatmeal Cookie Bars?

These are delicious warm, if you are eating them warm they might break apart so you can spoon it into bowls and serve with vanilla or coffee ice cream. Also they are delicious with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes on top and a glass of cold milk. Once these cookies are baked, store them in an air tight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 1 week. I have stored them in the freezer for 2 months as well.

Traveling with these cookies?

Pack the cookies in an air tight container, make sure the container fits the cookies snuggly, there shouldn’t be any extra space in the container or else it will allow the cookies to move around during your travel and they will fall apart. Tape the container well to ensure it doesn’t open. Wrap the container in bubble wrap or cling wrap. Cover with a pair of jeans and place in your check in suitcase. It should travel fine.

Frequently Asked Questions when making oatmeal cookies:

How do I know if my cookies are baked?

The top of the cookie will not have raw cookie dough but it will be a little damp to the touch. The edges should be dry and have a little crust. They dough will have a golden brown color once baked.

Why are my oatmeal cookies dry?

This means the cookie has been over baked or over mixed or a combination of both.

Can I cut and cool the cookies in the baking tray?

Yes, you are supposed to cool the cookie in the tray as this firms it up so you can cut it in the tray and you will intern get clean edges.

Looking for vegan & gluten free recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this Oatmeal cookie bars, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more healthy recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.