Soft and chewy brown sugar oatmeal cookie bars filled with Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread and chocolate chips. This easy recipe requires very little hands on time, the crust and topping are made from the same mixture
Nutella lovers unite! I found another thing to stuff Nutella into and I couldn’t be happier (also see: Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies and Nutella Stuffed Nutella Cookies). These cookie bars check all the boxes: taste, texture, ease – you’ll go crazy for them! Not a fan of Nutella? Try my Oatmeal Fudge Bars!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Taste: Butter, brown sugar, vanilla, Nutella, and chocolate chips. A winning combination!
Texture: Soft and chewy oatmeal cookie crust and topping with a creamy chocolate filling.
Ease: Very little hands on time, with the crust and topping made from the same mixture.
Crowd pleaser: Serve these bars and watch them disappear – they’re always a hit!
Recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
The crust and the topping of these bars are made from the same mixture, which tastes like a buttery, brown sugar oatmeal cookie.
Press a little more than half of the cookie dough into a lined 8×8 baking pan. Pop the remaining dough into the fridge. Bake the crust for 12 minutes.
Top the crust with Nutella and chocolate chips. Be careful – the crust will be soft!
Add the reserved topping and return to the oven for 18-22 minutes.
Recipe tips
Weigh your flour for the most accurate result. If you don’t have a scale, use my tips for measuring with cups.
Make sure your brown sugar is fresh and soft; this helps make the bars chewy.
Let the bars cool before cutting.
Serve the bars *slightly* warm and the chocolaty center will be extra melty and gooey.
More cookie bars
Recipe
Nutella Stuffed Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (170g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1⅓ cup (165g) all purpose flour*
- 1 cup (80g) old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup Nutella, chocolate hazelnut spread
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 square pan with foil or parchment and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until fully combined. Beat in vanilla and egg, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add flour, oats, baking, soda, and salt, beating until combined.
- Place a little more than half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and place the remaining dough (which will be used for the topping) in the refrigerator. Press the mixture in the pan into an even, flat layer (I moisten my fingertips with water and press it in). Bake for 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and immediately add the Nutella. Since the crust will be soft, you don't want to spread too vigorously. I recommend dolloping the Nutella all around the top of the dough, then using an offset spatula to lightly spread the Nutella into an even layer. The heat from the crust will melt the Nutella slightly, which will make it easier to spread. Sprinkle the Nutella with chocolate chips. Remove the reserved dough from the refrigerator and press it into flat, irregular shaped pieces and place them all over the top of the chocolate.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the top is baked and golden brown. After removing from the oven I like to add a few chocolate chips on top, so feel free to do so, if you'd like. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. The longer these cool, the more "set" the filling will be. Do not cut them while they are hot, as the chocolate will ooze out. I recommend serving them slightly warm so that the chocolate is mostly firm but still a little melted.
Video
Notes
- Whisk the flour several times to lighten it, scoop a heaping portion, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Stir the flour with a spoon to lighten it, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off.
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Chris
I know I can freeze them, but will I regret doing so? I want to serve them with other desserts in 5 days and there are only so many desserts I can make last minute.
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Chris. I think you will be fairly happy with them after freezing. I always prefer serving freshly baked desserts to guests (outside of my immediate family), but I totally understand the need to prepare some things ahead. These are still pretty close to the original after freezing. Enjoy! Happy holidays.
Chris
Thank you. Thanksgiving, here I come!
Audrey
Oh my Lord! These are phenomenal! The nutty & sweet & salty – oh wow! Thank you!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Renette
Delicious!!!! I managed to get my daughter to eat oats thanks to your recipe! How do I store these after cooking them please? And do you have other yummy healthy recipes including cooked (baked) oats please?
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed them! You can store them in the fridge or at cool room temp. Use the search bar at the the top of my site and search “oats” and you’ll see many other oat recipes (cookies, bars, fruit crisps, etc). Thanks for stopping by!
Sobia Siddiqui
Hello…can instant oats be used in this recipe?
Allison
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure, but I would guess that it should be ok.
Shelly Tonen
Deadly! Still warm with that ooey, gooey chocolatey filling? Wowsers! Amazing!! Be sure to follow the excellent tip and dropping small dollops of Nutella over the baked bottom crust, and GENTLY spreading it. If you don’t, that still hot bottom crust will break apart.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
mallory
I just made these and they are incredible. I put the nutella in a sandiwch bag and cut off the tip to drizzle the nutella and it worked perfectly.
Allison
Glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Desiree Dalessio
These were a hit! Thanks for the recipe!!
Allison
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Stacy
I’m not a fan of Nutella but I’ve found that if you skip the chocolate and substitute 1/3C Jam for the Nutella it tastes amazing. I have tried Raspberry, strawberry, and Bluberry Jams so far. They keep nicely in an airtight container
R
Yum
Melissa
Delicious decadent treat!! The whole family enjoyed them. I appreciated being able to weigh the ingredients on my kitchen scale – thank you for including the measurement in grams. I have tried two of your bundt cake recipes and they were also excellent!
Allison
Thanks for the kind review, Melissa. 🙂