These no-bake cookie bars combine a soft brownie layer with an oat-based top layer that tastes like cookie dough! These are nut-free and a great treat to have on hand when a sweet craving strikes!
My daughter Jade has preciously nicknamed these ‘cookie bars’, which I just love.
As she approaches her 4th birthday, she has begun to emulate some of my kitchen habits. She has her own notebook of recipes, she helps me cut the vegetables for dinner, and she even plays with the plastic food and kitchen set at our gym’s daycare! It’s too cute!
I made these bars to accommodate Jadie’s allergies and combine her two favorite treats: chocolate and cookies. I love giving her healthy, delicious food that she and I can enjoy together.
The cookie layer alone is worth writing home about.
Double Layer Cookie Bars
Ingredients
BOTTOM CHOCOLATE LAYER
- ⅓ cup oats
- ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 9 Medjool dates about 5 ounces
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon water
TOP COOKIE LAYER
- 3 Tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 2 Tablespoons milk of your choice
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup oats measured then ground into meal
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons cacao nibs or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
BOTTOM CHOCOLATE LAYER
- Process the pumpkin seeds and oats until they are a meal consistency.
- Remove the mix, and add in the dates.
- Process the dates until they are paste-like.
- Add back the pumpkin/oat meals, along with the cocoa, salt, coconut oil, vanilla, and water.
- Process until well combined.
- Press the mix into a 7 x 5 glass Pyrex dish.
- Place in the refrigerator.
TOP COOKIE LAYER
- Whisk together the coconut oil, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Stir in the ground oats, salt, and cacao nibs or chopped chocolate.
- Pour the ‘batter’ onto the chocolate layer.
- Place in the refrigerator (or freezer) to set.
- If you freeze them, be sure to allow about 15 minutes for de-thawing.
- Store in the refrigerator for best taste.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
We have been enjoying these bars or my Raw Brownies just about every night, but beware of overdosing…
Hi Lauren,
First what a sweet little girl. I think it is wonderful that you are starting Jade out helping you cook, and she will grow up interested, and knowing how to do just that as so many children today don’t even know how to do the simplest of cooking tasks or even what simple pantry items are for that matter. Happy Birthday Jade!
I am definitely going to put these on the top of my baking list. They look like a healthier version of Nanaimo Bars…oh yum yum! I will come back to let you know how they turn out once the weather cools off.
Glad I found your site. Lots of awesome recipes. Keep up the great work.
What a lovely comment, thank you Gail! 😀
OMG…These look delish!!! Thanks for sharing…can’t wait to try them 🙂
She’s so sweet! And I bet those bars are, too. Just gorgeous and my kinda snack! 🙂
These look AMAZING Lauren! LOVE the inclusion of cacao nibs and pumpkin seeds in the base – so good for you, so inventive.
Thanks Anna! Ever since I learned pumpkin seeds were helpful with hormones and parasites, I’ve been eating them like a mad woman!…so consequently, they’ve also ended up in a lot of recipes. I hope you’re doing well! 🙂
Your girls are adorable! I love that she has her own notebook of recipes. I am going to have to do that with my daughter when she is old enough. It is so great that they like to help out in the kitchen. What a fun time to spend together 🙂
Your cookie bars look incredible, and they have such healthy ingredients in them. I haven’t baked with pumpkin seeds before, but I will try these out. Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday!
Thank you Andrea! Pumpkin seeds are so good for you, and I am putting them in everything lately. 🙂
What a sweetie-pie! These cookie bars look amazing. I’m tweeting and pinning!! Yum. Have a lovely day!
Neighbors About Town Blog
They look delicious!! When I first clicked on it, I didn’t think I’d actually be able to eat it, since I have to be gluten free. All I have to do is use GF oats (which I always have on hand) and make sure everything else is GF…no crazy changes. Hooray 🙂
Whoops typed my email wrong in the last one 🙂
Ha ha…that picture made my laugh.. What a sweetie pie.
I’ve been waiting for this recipe!!!!!. Thank you!!!!!
–Am
These bars look so good Lauren, I think Arik would really like them too. And I know for a fact he would love hanging out with Jade. She is adorable and it sounds like she shares his love for cooking :). I love it when Arik gets all excited to help me out in the kitchen.
Thanks for the great recipe, we’ll be trying these out soon!
I’ve been gone for a while and was thrilled when I saw both these and the raw brownies on Bloglovin’! They look JUST like cookie dough bars. Once again, your creativity in making healthy desserts amazes me. Pinned!
Your daughter sounds adorable! I remember being obsessed with my toy kitchen! I think you have a healthy chef in the making 😉
I love the sound of these cookie bars! Cookie dough + chocolate is never a bad idea!
These look sooo delicious. And healthy, toO! Thanks for linking up to Healthy 2Day Wednesday!
Oh yum, a cookie in a cookie! These look amazing!
Those cookie bars look good. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Will try this at home.
“Her and I?”
I’m lost.
Ohhhh, you like to come on blogs and rudely correct grammatical errors? Have fun with that.
Oh my goodness… I just made these and oh baby are they good! They’re like a brownie topped in a cross between cookie dough and chocolate ganache! Mind blowing! I’m giving half of them as a gift and I know my friend will be pleased! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Oh that’s awesome Sheelagh! This recipe is one of our favorites too. 🙂 Thanks for trying them and for the feedback!
could I used another type of oil?
Hi Marilyn,
Unfortunately, coconut oil is very unique in that it solidifies when cold. The only alternatives that I know of would be butter or (possibly) palm oil, though I’ve never tried either.
First off, LOVE your website! Second, I made these last night and they are AMAZING! I’m eating super-clean right now but sweet treats are my biggest weakness so it’s really nice to be able to enjoy a dessert like this knowing that it’s not completely derailing my efforts!
Thank you so much Anne! This recipe is one of my favorites, so I’m thrilled to hear you like it as well! 🙂
The cocoa powder, is that sweetened or not. I have dark chocolate cocoa powder but unsweetened. Is that what is should be?? Please reply soon 😉 Thank you! They look yummy!
Hi Jill,
I always use unsweetened. 🙂
I already have some oatmeal flour. How much of that should I use? So excited to make these – my fave desserts combined and no baking!
For the cookie layer, specifically. It says to measure before processing so I don’t know what to measure with the flour.
Hi Colleen,
It’s about five tablespoons plus one teaspoon of oat flour. 🙂 I hope you enjoy them!!
I made these yesterday and they are already all gone! One of the best raw desserts I have ever made! 🙂 Thanks!
That’s great, thanks for the comment Amanda!