Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Candy Bars

I first made these bars at Christmas time. We absolutely love them. They're chewy, chocolatey, and they have just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy a sweet tooth but they're not too sweet.

I haven't made traditional no-bake cookies in years but these would make a great healthier alternative to those.

I've made them with purchased organic almond butter and with homemade. It can be really difficult to find peanut-free almond butter so I started making my own. It's also a lot more cost-effective even when using organic almonds.

Homemade almond butter is super easy to make. Just roast your almonds in a single layer on a sheet cake pan in a 350° oven until they're toasted. It takes about 20 minutes -- keep an eye on them so you don't burn them. Let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes and then run them through the food processor until they're creamy. You can add a little sea salt if you'd like. An entire sheet cake pan makes approximately 1 1/2 to 2 c. almond butter. (I never bother to measure the almonds beforehand.)

Recipe adapted from here. I've reduced the honey and chocolate chips, increased the coconut oil and the oats, and added some vanilla.

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Candy Bars

1 c. almond butter
1/2 c. local, raw honey (or a little less)
2/3 c. coconut oil
1 c. chocolate chips*
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats

In a medium saucepan, melt the almond butter, honey, coconut oil, and chocolate chips until creamy. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Mix well. Add the oats and stir to combine.

In a parchment lined 9x13 pan, add the mixture and spread it to the edges with your wooden spoon. Cover the pan with foil and put it in the fridge until firm. Store them in the refrigerator. (They will get 'oily' and way too soft if you don't.)

*Note: I use exactly half a bag of chocolate chips. We like them with semi-sweet or with milk chocolate. I've been wanting to experiment with cocoa in order to cut out refined sugar entirely.

These are infinitely adaptable so add whatever add-ins you'd like! (See link for some suggestions from the original post.) I added Dandies marshmallows cut in half and white chocolate chips (once the chocolate mixture had cooled some) when I made these for Christmas Eve. (You can find Dandies marshmallows at Whole Foods or Natural Candy Store.)

{Waiver: We cut way back on refined sugar after Aria was born - so these taste really sweet to us. If you're used to a more standard American diet, they may not taste as sweet... My sister says they're good even though they're less sweet than most bars!}

Comments

[Amanda]

I haven't cut out sugar, and I still think they're super good!!

[Colin Jesse]

Hi Jennifer,

I would like to try this recipe.
Does your 1c mean one old fashioned cup?
Could I try ordinary butter?

Thanks and best wishes,

Colin Jesse

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer here: Hi Colin - Our 1 cup is equal to 8 oz. (I hope that helps!) I've never tried it with butter but I believe that would work.

[Cyndi]

These HIT THE SPOT!!! Definitely sweet enough! Thanks for sharing this recipe, friend! :)

[Karla]

These are very similar to a no-bake cookie I used to make. Tried this version and it's a new favorite! I used peanut butter, 1/3c rapadura sugar, half coconut oil/half butter, dark chocolate chips, a little more oats and added some wheat germ (the mixture initially seemed too liquidy).

The last time I made it the chocolate chips were a bag of mixed holiday chips I got on sale, part white, so I added a spoonful of dark cocoa powder to make sure it was chocolate-y enough.