These gluten-free oatmeal chocolate chip bars came about completely by accident.
I was attempting to make an egg-free version of one of my favorite oatmeal cookies on the site and after a couple of extremely thin test cookies came out of the oven, I scrapped the whole idea and stuffed the batter into a pan.
Patience was not on my side that day.
Once my pan of "cookies" had cooled, I went to cut them into squares assuming I'd most likely have to toss the whole thing.
To my happy surprise, what emerged from the pan was an oat-studded, decadent bar, worthy of dessert or a companion with your morning coffee or tea.
These bars remind me of the type of treat you'd find offered in a coffee shop. The kind, that most days, I find myself looking in the pastry case or at the pile of scones on the cake stand, and remember they are not gluten-free.
With a simple ingredients list, the bars come together quickly. Be sure to pack the batter down firmly in the pan for best results.
Wrap the bars individually for on-the-go snacks or store them in an airtight container.


Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water
- 1½ cups gluten-free oat flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup coconut oil room temperature
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups gluten-free oats
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips I use Enjoy Life brand
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine oat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream coconut oil, cane sugar, and coconut sugar together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in flax eggs, followed by vanilla extract.
- With the hand mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Stir in the whole oats until evenly combined, and lastly, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Press batter into prepared pan. Use an extra piece of parchment paper to press and pack into an even layer. Be sure to firmly pack down into pan. Bake for 30 to 32 mins or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow bars to cool completely in pan on a wire rack. When cool, use a sharp knife to cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition

G
I'm fine with eggs here... how many would you say to use in place of the egg replacement?
Grace
These look great!
Could you substitute oat flour for coconut flour?
Tessa
Thank you, Grace! Unfortunately, coconut flour requires additional liquid since it is such an absorbent flour. So, I don't think it would be a workable substitution for the oat flour in these bars. I haven't tried it, but if needed, you probably could sub about 1/2-3/4 cup of almond flour for the oat flour.
Sferd
Does it matter what kind of Coconut Oil is used--refined or unrefined?
Tessa
Hi! Either kind will work in this recipe! If you are trying to avoid a slight coconut flavor, then opt for the refined version.
Alyssa Cho
These are great -- I am officially inspired to bring some cookie bars to a potluck next week. Thank you!
Tessa
Fantastic! Thank you so much! I hope they are a success for the potluck too. Happy weekend!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
Don't you love when things work out that way Tessa?! These look delicious!
Tessa
Absolutely! Makes them taste even better too! ;)
Kim Brown
These are so yummy!
Tessa
So glad you liked them! <3
Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek
These look delicious Tessa! I love when happy accidents happen in the kitchen. It makes the result that much more delicious! xoxo
Tessa
It really does make it that much more satisfying! Thanks, Kelsey! xoxo
Ashlea Christopher
So amazing! I loved every bite of this dessert!!!
Tessa
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them!!
Rosie
Wow, these sound great. What a clever idea! And your images are so sharp and clear... whenever I edit my images and then export them they come out even blurrier than before! Any tips?
Tessa
Thanks, Rosie! It may be in how you are exporting your images. I export them at twice the size of my column. So, for example, if your photos are usually 500 pixels wide, export them to be 1000 pixels wide. Hope that helps!