Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Sweet chewy coconut layer baked into a moist oatmeal style dessert bar. Butter, brown sugar and oats with coconut, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate marbled in. The perfect Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars.

Within this post, you’ll make a super chewy oatmeal bar dessert that’s quick and simple! Plus you’ll learn why chocolate chips hold their shape when you bake them. Shouldn’t they just melt into the batter?

There’s something special about combining a few ingredients and watching it transform into something else completely in the oven. The chemistry and science behind it fascinate me, and there’s always the plus of enjoying your creation once it’s baked.

How to make dessert bars chewy

The delicious chewy texture is created with the addition of brown sugar and condensed milk. Not do they give these bars wonderful flavor (brown sugar always gives a hint of caramel or butterscotch flavors to bakes compared to regular white sugar) but it makes the texture perfectly soft and chewy. You also need the right balance of wet and dry ingredients for the ideal chewy texture.

Another chewy oatmeal bar you must try: Chewy Cherry Orange Oatmeal Bars-for a refreshing and fruity twist!

Ingredients for Making Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

• Butter and brown sugar – For a soft and chewy texture and wonderful sweet flavor
• Eggs and milk – Helps bind everything together
• Vanilla – Adds extra sweetness
• Old fashioned oats & all-purpose flour – The oats also help give a chewy texture to these bars
• Baking soda and salt – A rising agent and seasoning for flavor
• Condensed milk – I used sweetened condensed milk for best results
• Shredded coconut & mini M&M’s – delicious sweet coconut with the crunch of chocolate m&m’s, you can’t go wrong!

How to Make Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Start with a base of oats, brown sugar, egg, flour and butter. It mixes together to form a thick and gooey batter, which always leads to blissful things while baking. Pat it down to form a thick, yet soft crust-like dessert bar.

The thing that sets these over the edge is the sweet and creamy coconut chocolate mixture that marbles when baked. Sweetened condensed milk, shredded coconut flakes and chocolate creates a simple (no-cooking needed) spread that goes over the oatmeal batter.

Drop it over and leave some of the bottom layer exposed. Now you have ooey gooooey Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars that are a real treat. Enjoy it with a rich and creamy Chocolate Banana Smoothie for a delicious and wholesome combo.

Tips for Making these Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

• I used mini M&M’s for these bars but you can use regular sized ones or swap them for any chocolate chips.
• Check the bars are baked all the way through by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean they’re ready.
• Let them cool completely before cutting into bars.
• Store these bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze them in suitable containers

Why don’t chocolate chips melt when baking?

Ever wonder why chocolate chips don’t melt and hold their shape when you bake them? Well, they actually do melt! (sort of)

Chocolate chips heat up and become soft to the touch. The surrounding dough helps keep the shape together. While cooling, they firm up again. The added fat in chocolate chips helps reduce the melting point, and keeps them from becoming a completely melted liquid.

This is why you end of with whole chocolate pieces after you bake them into this oatmeal bar dessert. Isn’t food science fascinating?

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars recipe at-a-glance:

Flavor profiles: Sweet coconut, milk and chocolate flavors, mixed with salty and mealy oat flavors.
Texture: Have I said these were chewy yet? Oh my goodness so chewy!

What else can you can do with oatmeal? Try making Banana Oatmeal Pancakes– a delicious way to enjoy oatmeal in new form!

More delicious sweet treats you might like:

• Holiday Themed Eggnog Waffles
• Apple Pie Puff Pastry Rolls
• Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
• No Churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream
• Homemade Brownie Sundae
• Mini Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecakes
• Cherry Limeade Bars
• White Chocolate Cranberry Scones
• Espresso Brownies
• Sweet and Salty Dark Chocolate Bark
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Written by Matt | Plating Pixels

Sweet chewy coconut layer baked into a moist oatmeal style dessert bar. Butter, brown sugar and oats with coconut, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate marbled in.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert Bar

Cuisine American

Servings 16 bars

Calories 428 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup butter room temp (2 sticks)
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 large large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ⅓ cup milk
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14-ounce ) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
• 1 cup M&M'S baking minis or mini chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350º F. In a large bowl or mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until combined. Slowly beat in eggs, vanilla and milk until combined.
• In a medium bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Slow mix the dry ingredients into bowl of wet ingredients. Batter will be thick, you may need to do last bit by hand. 
• Evenly spread 2/3 of batter in an even layer into a parchment lined or greased 9x13 baking dish.
• In a small bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, coconut flakes and mini chocolates. 
• Spread mixture in even layer on top of oatmeal batter. Spoon remaining 1/3 oatmeal batter in small drops over coconut layer. Don't cover completely, as it will spread and create a marbled effect.
• Bake 25–30 minutes until the oatmeal bar sets and a toothpick inserted comes out clean without batter. The coconut parts will still be moist. Cool slightly before cutting into bars.

Notes

Top Tips for Making these Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

• I used mini M&M's for these bars but you can use regular sized ones or swap them for any chocolate chips.
• Check the bars are baked all the way through by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean they're ready.
• Let the bars cool completely before cutting into bars.
• Store these bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze them in suitable containers

Nutrition Facts

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Amount per Serving

Calories

428

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

15

g

23

%

Saturated Fat

 

10

g

63

%

Cholesterol

 

51

mg

17

%

Sodium

 

335

mg

15

%

Potassium

 

104

mg

3

%

Carbohydrates

 

43

g

14

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

27

g

30

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

390

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

 

0.1

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

39

mg

4

%

Iron

 

1.4

mg

8

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword chewy oatmeal bars, chocolate oatmeal bars, coconut oatmeal bars

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

– Recipe adapted from these Deep Dish Fudgy Oatmeal Bar