Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Bars

Most of the recipes I have been sharing for my Cooking Through My Collection Series are new recipes. Recipes I have never tried before.This is because my goal with the series is to challenge me to start using more of the cookbooks in my collection.

Today’s recipe though is one I have been making for years. It is from a cookbook in my collection, but I have made this recipe more times than I can count.

I had not planned on sharing this recipe for Chocolate Raisin Oatmeal Bars for this series, but I recently realized that I have never shared this recipe with you all. These are a family favorite so I knew I needed to fix that and share them with you this week.

This recipe comes from an old Taste of Home cookbook. Old as in from the 90’s, so really not that old, but old to some. Some of my all time favorite cookies come from this cookbook, which is The Best of Country Cookies: A Cookie Jarful of the Country’s Best Family Favorites. Many of the cookies in this book are ones I am now working on adapting to gluten free because we love them so much.

This is one of those cookbooks that I wish Taste of Home was still selling. Yes, it is around fifteen years old, but who doesn’t need more cookie recipes. Especially when they are classic cookie recipes. This is one of those cookbooks that I really think will never be out of date because cookies are always popular.

You can still find this cookbook used on Amazon, for a really good price. So if it The Best of Country Cookies sounds like a cookbook you would enjoy that would be a good way to get a copy. Or watch for it at used bookstores or sales.

I am curious if anyone else owns this cookbook. If you do what do you think of it? Do you love it as much as I do? 

Now for the recipe. These are really good. And even my son who does not normally enjoy raisin likes these. These are basically a version of the jam type bars that were popular years ago, but instead of jam in the middle you have a chocolate raisin layer. Delicious!

I have adapted this recipe a little bit over the years, so it is not quite the same as the original, but it is the same basic idea. And I made notes on how I make a gluten free version at the bottom. These are easy to make gluten free.

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Yield: 15 bars

Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Bars

Print

An old fashioned chocolate oatmeal raisin cookie bar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups raisins
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats - use gluten free oats for gf version
• 2 cups flour or gluten free flour blend for gf version
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for 30 more seconds. Continue stirring and cooking until chocolate is melted. Stir in raisins and set aside.
3. In a bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Add vanilla.
4. In a bowl combine oats, flour, salt, and baking soda and add to batter. The mixture will be crumbly.
5. Press half of the mixture into a 9x13 pan.
6. Carefully spread with chocolate raisin mixture onto crust layer.
7. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top of the raisin mixture and press lightly.
8. Bake for 24-26 minutes.
9. Cool and cut into bars.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 3gSugar: 31gProtein: 6g

Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.