Ooey, gooey, chocolatey, and perfect for sharing! These vegan fudge oatmeal bars are gluten free and top 9 allergen free. Plan ahead, they take two hours to cool. But they are definitely worth the wait!
My friends, these bars are the holy grail of desserts. Vegan, gluten free, top 9 allergen free, kids and adults alike love them, they transport well and freeze well. This recipe started as a hand-me-down from my mom, who made a version of these when I was a kid. But they were full of things like sweetened condensed milk, butter, and pecans, which are no longer viable options in our house. So naturally I had to figure out how to make these safe for our family!
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list for these vegan fudge oatmeal bars. With the exception of the coconut milk powder, these are probably all ingredients you have in your pantry already. You make the fudge layer on the stove, mix up the oatmeal dough, put them together in a pan, and bake. Pretty simple!
The hardest part of this recipe is letting them sit on your counter for two hours to cool. Trust me, kids and grown ups are going to try sticking their fingers into the fudge before it cools, and then complaining about it being too hot. I really should put a sign on these next time: “THE FUDGE IS LAVA. DO NOT EAT.”
Making Vegan Fudge Oatmeal Bars Allergy-Friendly for You!
As written, this recipe is free of the top 9 major allergens. It is dairy free, egg free, gluten free, soy free (check your vegan margarine for allergens!), and nut free (it does contain coconut). The only ingredient you may not have in your pantry is coconut milk powder. I find it in the natural aisle at my local grocery store, and it’s labeled as a vegan milk powder and coffee creamer. You can also find coconut milk or rice milk powder online. Mine is always compacted down in the bag, so I fluff it up before measuring. I use Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips for this, you need half a bag of the Mega Chunks. I have used both gluten free and regular all-purpose flours in this recipe with great success. Use whatever works best for your allergies!
Let me know how these turn out for you! Leave a comment below and post a photo on Instagram tagging @coffeetableeats and using the hashtag #coffeetableeats!
Vegan Fudge Oatmeal Bars
Ooey, gooey, chocolatey, and perfect for sharing! These vegan Fudge Oatmeal Bars are Top 9 allergen free, gluten free, and absolutely delicious. Plan ahead, because these need to cool for a full two hours! If your allergies permit, you can use regular all-purpose flour and quick oats in this recipe.
Ingredients
For the Fudge Layer:
- 5 oz. allergy-friendly chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)
- 2 Tbsp. vegan margarine
- 1/2 c. coconut or rice milk powder (I use Native Forest brand coconut)
- 3 Tbsp. water
- 1/3 c. granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Oatmeal Layer:
- 1/2 c. vegan margarine or shortening
- 1 c. light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
- 3 Tbsp. water
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/4 c. gluten-free cup for cup flour blend (I use Bob's Red Mill brand)
- 1 1/2 c. gluten-free quick oats
Instructions
- Prepare your baking pan: grease a 9x13" metal baking dish with olive oil or baking spray. Then lay a piece of baking parchment paper down to line the pan, folding in the corners as needed. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the fudge filling: In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp margarine, coconut milk powder, 3 Tbsp water, granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Place pan over medium low heat, and cook gently until the chocolate and margarine are melted and everything is smooth with no lumps (about 5-7 minutes). Be sure to stir frequently to prevent sticking! Set aside.
- Make the oatmeal layer: In a large bowl, beat 1/2 c. margarine with brown sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add in ground flax seed, water, and vanilla extract. Beat until everything comes together and is light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). It will look curdled at first, but don't give up, just keep mixing! Add in salt, baking soda, and flour, and beat until the flour is wet but the batter is still lumpy. Stir in the quick oats until everything is just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Grab your prepared baking pan and place 2/3 of the oatmeal dough into the pan. Using a piece of wax paper to keep the dough from sticking to your hand, press the dough in an even layer across the bottom of the pan, making a small lip around the outside edge to catch the filling. Give your fudge filling a good stir in case a skin has formed on top, then pour the fudge on top of the dough layer and spread evenly with a spatula. Take the remaining 1/3 of the oatmeal dough and, using your hands, place blobs of dough all over the top of the fudge. No need to be precise!
- Bake the bars in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the oatmeal layer is lightly browned and the fudge layer is bubbling and starting to form cracks on top. Remove the pan from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for at least two hours. No cheating!! The fudge filling really does need this long to cool and set properly. If you try to cut these too early, you get a soft fudgy mess. But you may want that, I don't know your life.
- Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper edges and place on a cutting board. Cut into 32 squares using a large sharp knife and serve! These taste even better the next day, and will last 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Notes
These bars keep well for 3-4 days in an airtight container on the counter. They also freeze well, just place them in an airtight container with wax paper or parchment between the layers. They will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months, thaw on the counter before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 123Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 1gNutrition facts may vary based on the ingredients, swaps, and products used.