Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars

This Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bar recipe makes a great lunchbox treat and after school snack! These chewy treats have dark chocolate chips and dried cherries. They’re quick and easy to make and a huge hit with the whole family! 

Back-to-school time is in full swing! Can you believe that summer is basically over? Sorry guys, I’m not trying to be a Negative Nancy. I mean look at the silver lining- the kids are back at school- it’s time to bust out those Bon-Bons and Pumpkin Spiced Lattes (wouldn’t life be grand is this was truly the case?!)! Though most of us are going to have to leave the Bon-Bon fantasy behind, these Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars are the next best thing, not only as a pick-me-up for those moments when you’re missing your school-bound kids but they make an excellent lunch box treat!

I can remember when I was a kid, my mom used to make some pretty delicious Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. I always looked forward to opening my lunchbox to find them (and also enjoying some as an afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk). So when the opportunity was presented to partner with Bob’s Red Mill and create a recipe using their oats, I knew I had to use the memory of those delicious cookies as inspiration.

Collaborating with Bob’s Red Mill was a natural step for me because I already use many of their products in my daily life. From an ingredient stand point, it was especially exciting for me because I learned a whole slew of fun facts about oats that I otherwise might not have known. For example, did you know that the difference between rolled and steel cut oats is in the processing? Rolled oats are rolled flat to produce those flakes you know and love. Steel cut oats are chopped into several pieces for a chewier oatmeal. You learn something new every day!

For this recipe I opted to use the rolled oats. In addition to being an incredibly versatile whole grain, their unique texture immediately transported me to my childhood cookies. But unlike those cookies of yore, I decided to add some dried cherries into the mix. I love the sweet, fruity flavor the cherries add and the bit of sophistication so that Mom can enjoy them just as much as the kids do (and trust me, they do! You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep A away from these so I could get my photos!).

In keeping things back-to-school friendly, I decided to make these into bars instead of cookies. Though I’m sure they’d make excellent cookies, who has time to be spooning individual cookies onto a pan? It was so easy to simply spread the batter into a greased pan and pop it into the oven. This left me more time to spend playing with my girls and helps make this a great option to throw together on a busy school night as a nice surprise for the kids lunch boxes or after school snacks!

Here’s a coupon to use when buying Bob’s Red Mill products! Because who doesn’t love savings?!

Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars

5 minPrep Time

35 minCook Time

40 minTotal Time

Yields 16

Author: The Life Jolie

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Ingredients

• 1 stick of salted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 3/4 cup of Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 1 tsp. of baking powder
• 1 generous pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup of dried cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan and set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar.
4. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
5. Add flour, oats, baking powder, salt, dried cherries and chocolate chips until just combined.
6. Spread your batter evenly over the bottom of your baking pan. This is a batter that is more sticky (and less liquidy). Don't be alarmed by this, it's exactly as it should be.
7. Bake in the center rack for 30-35 minutes or until golden.
8. Once cooled, cut into 2 inch bars.
9. Enjoy!

Notes

These keep well in an air-tight container for a couple days.

7.8.1.2

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https://www.thelifejolie.com/cherry-chocolate-oatmeal-cookie-bars/

Jessy Freimann, The Life Jolie

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