Chewy Fudgey Oatmeal Bars
I recently started a new job at work. Still with the same company, just doing different work. It has been keeping me BUSY (some of you might notice that I haven’t been around as much recently). While I do miss my time chatting on the internet with lots of you, I’m loving my new job and learning a ton. The days are flying by, which is a nice change of pace for me. During one of my first days in the new group, I wanted to bring in some goodies.
I chose these bars because they are easy to transport and I’ve had them starred in my Google Reader forever. Wow! I wish I had made these sooner. The oatmeal layers are soft and chewy, but still sturdy enough to hold the amazing fudge layer in the middle.
One guy did say they were too sweet for him, but everyone else in my new group gobbled them right up. One of my coworkers commented she was so happy that I had joined the group. I hope it’s only partially because of my baking!
Yield: ~40
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups oats
2 cups chocolate chips
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (15 oz.)
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan
In a large bowl sift together flour, soda and salt. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, beat together softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time and beat until combined. Add vanilla and mix well.
Slowly add the sifted flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in oatmeal.
Gently spread 2/3 crust into bottom of prepared pan. Reserve the rest for topping.
Make the filling:
Over Medium-Low heat, melt together chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and salt. Stir until smooth. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts if using.
Evenly pour filling mixture of crust but keeping filling about a 1/4 inch away from side of pan so it does not stick to side while baking. Evenly dollup top of filling with remaining oat mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until topping is light brown and fudge layer set but not solid. Don’t overbake these bars or they can become dry.
Cool in pay on rack until set before cutting. Can chill to set faster. Keep stored in airtight container either room temp or in fridge.
Recipe from Baking Blonde
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I love, love, love how serious your distinction is between chewy puffy vs. chewy thin vs. crispy thin cookies. It makes me smile.
Like I said, I’m weird about cookies 🙂
I love molasses and chocolate chip cookies. Great idea to put them together. I like chewy thin cookies.
I don’t like flat cookies, either! i like fat, soft ones! (TWSS)
If f anyone is entitled to be weird abotu cookies it is you. these look yummy, I’m all about flat and chewy!
One of my co-workers makes a ginger chocolate chip cookie that I was surprised to find I liked. These seem like they’d be similar.
sometimes responses from friends and family is all you need! there’s always the next batch for you to love 🙂
Hmmm so I love chocolate chip cookies…and my husband LOVES molasses cookies…I wonder if this is our perfect compromise…
Great recipe!
These look and sound amazing–I’ll have to try these 🙂
These look great. It’s hard to find a good Molasses Cookie.
I love these cookies because I am the worst person at remembering to take butter out to soften and with these I don’t have to worry about that. I made my first batch with milk chocolate chips and my second with butterscotch chips (since my FIL can’t have chocolate) and they were both wonderful. The 8 year old finds them too tangy – so more for me 🙂
Best. Cookies. Ever. Making them for a 2nd time today and mailing half to my friend in Colorado who desperately needs a pick me up 🙂