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Oatmeal Raisin Bars
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If you love a classic oatmeal raisin cookie, but want an ever easier bake, these oatmeal raisin bars are the bake for you. They are going to become a firm favourite as they have all the cosy flavours of an oatmeal raisin bake (think oats, cinnamon and juice raisins), but they are baked into one tin and sliced into portions.
These oatmeal raisin cookie bars are wonderfully soft in the middle, golden on the outside and perfect for a snack with a mug of tea, an afternoon tea treat, or something to add to your lunchbox.
Notes from The Patisserie
I always believe that oatmeal raisin cookies are such a timeless bake, a turning them into cookie bars makes them even easier. Instead of portioning out the cookie dough, you simple press the dough into al lined tin and bake until golden and beautiful.
The combination of ingredients or rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins balances so wonderfully to a cosy style bake. I will eat these year around, but I do adore them. They are delicious served as they are, served warm with a scoop of ice cream, or even a few days after baking.
The recipe is a one-bowl cookie dough, you don’t need to chill the dough, and they are ready and out the oven in under an hour – what more could you want?!
Ingredient Notes and Tips
The ingredients themselves are super similar to my classic oatmeal raisin cookies, because it works so well. The full recipe can be found below in the recipe card
- Butter – using unsalted butter (or baking spread) allows you to control the amount of salt in the cookie dough, and it creates a wonderful bake. I use room temperature block butter usually
- Sugar – I use a mix of light brown soft sugar and white granulated sugar for a balance of flavour and texture, but you can use all light brown soft sugar
- Egg – I use one medium egg, but it will be totally fine to use one large egg instead
- Vanilla – I always add vanilla because it adds balance and a touch of sweetness
- Spices – optional as always, but I love a touch of cinnamon. You can swap this to ginger, or leave it out, but even cinnamon haters like it in these bars.
- Flour – it’s important to use plain flour and not a flour with raising agents in (Such as self raising)
- Oats – I use rolled oats because I MUCH prefer the texture, but theoretically any oat works. If your dough is super wet after adding the oats, add in 50g more plain flour
- Raising agent – a touch of bicarbonate of soda is present for texture – don’t swap for baking powder
- Salt – I adore adding sea salt to bakes. I find salt is GOOD for bakes, but I understand not everyone likes salt in baking – feel free to not add it
- Raisins – the obvious part of this recipe – you can add a bit more or a bit less, but I wouldn’t add any more than 300g personally
FAQs
I don’t like raisins, can I use chocolate chips?
Of course you can! You can swap to any chocolate you want. Ad up to 300g chips/chopped chocolate
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes, you can use good quality gluten free flour and oats – make sure to double check all other ingredients for being gluten free as well
Can I leave out the oats and just use flour?
Yes, you can. You can use 300g plain flour total.
Why are my bars still soft are baking?
They do continue to bake whilst cooling technically, so they may just need firming up. However, they will not be crunchy at any point and shouldn’t be
Can I use sultanas instead?
Yes, you can. You can swap the raisins for any other dried fruits
Can I add nuts?
Definitely! You can either add them as well as the raisins (100-300g worth) to swap out the raisins if you prefer.
Oatmeal Raisin Bar Recipe
Delicious soft, gooey and chewy oatmeal raisin bars inspired by the classic oatmeal raisin cookie. Cosy, warm and delightful in every bite
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Servings: 16 pieces
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 75 g white granulated sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tsp vanilla (optional!)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional!)
- 150 g plain flour
- 150 g rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 100-300 g raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan and line a 9” square tin with parchment paper
- Add the butter and sugars to a bowl and beat until creamy
- Add in the egg and vanilla, and beat again.
- Add in the plain flour, oats, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, and salt and beat until a cookie dough is formed
- Add in the raisins and beat until they're distributed well
- Press the cookie dough into the tin firmly
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 20-22 minutes.
- Once baked, leave them to cool in the tin for an hour or so and then cool fully
- I slice mine into 16 pieces one cooled
Notes
- These cookie bars will last for 4-5 days once baked at room temperature
- You can freeze the baked cookie bars for 3+ months
- I use this tin in this recipe
Storage and freezing
These oatmeal raisin bars will last in a container at room temperature or in the fridge for 4-5 days
They will also freeze well for 3+ months (as a whole piece, or portioned). You can also freeze the raw dough for 3+ months and bake from frozen (add 2-3 mins baking time if baking from frozen)
