Description
Deliciously soft and chewy Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars topped with a sweet vanilla icing. These bars are easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and perfect for an afternoon snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (95 g) old fashioned oats
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (140 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon molasses (or honey)
Vanilla Icing
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Process Oats: Melt the butter and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse the oats in a food processor until they are cut into smaller pieces but not ground into oat flour.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the pulsed oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine Butter and Sugars: To the melted butter, add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix on low speed or whisk for 1 minute until the mixture appears like wet sand.
- Add Egg and Flavorings: Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract and molasses. Mix well to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a large spatula or wooden spoon. Mix just until flour is incorporated; avoid over mixing.
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 24 minutes, or until the edges are set and the top is golden brown. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars moist.
- Cool Bars: Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 to 2 hours until at room temperature.
- Prepare Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until thick but smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar if necessary.
- Ice Bars: Once bars are cool, spread the vanilla icing over the top, leaving small bits of the bars visible.
- Set and Serve: Allow icing to set before slicing into 16 squares and serving.
Notes
- Store bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- May be frozen after cooling completely; freeze without icing for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before icing.
- Use honey as a substitute for molasses for a milder flavor.
- Do not overmix dough to avoid tough bars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square (approx. 50 g)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
