Chocolate Oat Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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Chocolate Oat Bars are made with oats, coconut and warming chai spices, and with a rich and fudgy chocolate filling, they're simply irresistible. They're also gluten-free and vegan, and perfect for all the Christmas cookie lovers in your life!

Chocolate oat bars arranged on a sheet of parchment paper and drizzled with melted chocolate.

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*This post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated to include adjustments to the recipe to make it vegan, as well as new text and photos.

Happy December! Are you in the mood for some holiday baking?

While I've been in full Christmas mode for about a month now, the baking season really kicks off for me in December. I love having a stash of cookies on hand for gifting and impromptu gatherings. And these chocolate crumble bars are always on my baking list. They're a favourite around here!

I'm also a huge fan of chai spiced desserts, so if you are too, be sure to check out this vegan chai spice cake with spiced cream cheese frosting. It's a delicious snack cake and one of the easiest desserts you'll make this season.

Why you'll love these vegan chocolate oat bars

There's no special equipment required. Just a few bowls and some utensils.
They're hearty and wholesome. With all the oats in this recipe, you can almost get away with eating them for breakfast.
They freeze well, so you can make them now, store in the freezer and pop them out for the holidays.
They're fairly sturdy and don't require refrigeration, so they're great for holiday cookie exchanges.

Chocolate oat squares drizzled with chocolate and arranged on a sheet of parchment paper.

Ingredients

Steel cut oats
Rolled oats
Coconut
Coconut sugar
Chai spice (I use this recipe from fit foodie finds)
Salt
Almond butter
Maple syrup
Vegan chocolate chips
Coconut oil

Collage of 4 images demonstrating how the oat mixture for the oatmeal bars comes together.

How to make chocolate oat bars

In a medium-sized bowl, combine your oats, coconut, sugar, chai spice and salt and stir until combined. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the almond butter and maple syrup. Your almond butter should be softened to room temperature. If it's too hard to mix with the maple syrup, just warm it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. You may need to get your hands in there to ensure the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
Add just over half of the oat mixture to a 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper, and press down to form a firm bottom layer for the bars.

Collage of 4 images demonstrating how the oat bars are assembled.

In a small microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and almond butter and microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir the chocolate in between intervals. This will take about 2-3 intervals.
Pour the chocolate over the oat layer and spread until evenly distributed. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate and press down lightly. Don't worry if the oat mixture doesn't completely cover the top.
Bake on 350F for 20-22 minutes, or until the top starts to brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars. You can also drizzle some extra chocolate over the bars if you're feeling fancy!

Oat bars just out of the oven and cooling on the counter.

Frequently asked questions

How do you store these oat bars?

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within 2-3 days. If your environment is warm, you can store them in the refrigerator, and just leave them at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Can you freeze these bars?

Yes, once cooled and cut into bars, just place them in an airtight container, either in a single layer or in between sheets of wax paper. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, just leave them at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.

Can you use honey in place of maple syrup?

Absolutely. Honey works in these bars in place of maple syrup. Just keep in mind that the bars will no longer be vegan.

Can you use other nut butters in place of almond butter?

Yes. If you don't have almond butter, you can use another type of nut or seed butter. Just make sure they are natural. And note that other butters will change the taste of the bars slightly.

What's a good substitute for coconut sugar in these bars?

If you don't have coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar as a replacement.

Up-close view of chocolate oatmeal bars in a pan and cut into squares.

Additional recipe tips and substitutions

I like to use some steel cut oats in this recipe for their nutty texture, but if you don't have any, just use all rolled oats.
If you'd like to make these bars nut-free, try substituting the almond butter for sunflower seed butter.
Whatever nut or seed butter you use, make sure it's natural and brought to room temperature. This will allow it to easily mix together with the maple syrup. If it's still not soft enough after sitting at room temperature, just warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.
To keep this recipe gluten-free, make sure your oats and spices are certified gluten-free.
To keep this recipe vegan, make sure you're using vegan chocolate.
I made these bars in a 9-inch square pan, but if you want a thicker bar, you can use an 8-inch square pan.