Description
Delightfully rich and chewy Nutella Bars featuring a buttery oat crust layered with luscious Nutella cream and melty chocolate chips, perfect for an easy no-fuss dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Nutella Cream Layer
- ¾ cup Nutella
- ½ cup heavy cream
Oat Crust and Topping
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant; pulse in food processor if grains are large)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ – 1½ cups mini dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch (20 cm) square cake pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, light brown sugar, rolled oats, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir thoroughly to create a consistent dough mixture.
- Bake Bottom Crust: Transfer just over half of the oat dough mixture evenly into the prepared pan, pressing it down. Bake this bottom layer for 10 minutes to set the crust.
- Make Nutella Cream: While the crust bakes, place Nutella and heavy cream in a small pot over low heat. Whisk continuously until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Assemble Bars: Remove the crust from the oven. Immediately sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the hot crust. Pour and spread the Nutella cream evenly on top of the chocolate chips. Finally, sprinkle the remaining oat dough mixture over the Nutella layer to form the topping.
- Bake Final Layer: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the topping is set.
- Cool and Chill: Allow the bars to cool to room temperature. Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight to let the bars firm up and flavors meld.
- Slice and Serve: For clean cuts, use a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry before slicing the bars into squares. Clean the knife between each cut for perfect edges. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for optimal texture. If your rolled oats are large, pulse them a few times in a food processor but avoid turning them into powder.
- To cut bars into neat squares, warm a sharp knife under hot water then dry it before slicing. Clean the knife between cuts.
- Add chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds, or dried fruits such as cranberries for extra flavor and texture.
- Store cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or freeze them wrapped individually for up to 4 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Nutella bars, oatmeal bars, chocolate chip bars, easy dessert, no-bake Nutella, snack bars, homemade bars
