Desserts/Snacks

These delicious gluten free cookie bars are incredibly easy, versatile, and free of most common allergens.

I have been making these gluten free cookie bars long before I discovered I had a refined flour intolerance. They don’t require fancy ingredients, and can be made with a variety of different oils, milks, and sweeteners. They also don’t require a lot of time, so when a craving hits you can have them ready in about 30 minutes!

Any media, posts, and comments on this website regarding health, lifestyle preferences,food, supplements,or childbirth preferences are solely anecdotal and based on the author’s own research and preferences and are not to be regarded as advice or instructions on what you should do. Always consult a qualified,licensed, and trusted healthcare provider before implementing any new diet, lifestyle, or supplement. I am neither qualified nor licensed to give personal advice or counsel on health decisions. I am simply a mama who likes to research about health and nutrition and occasionally eats dandelions from her yard.

This post may contain links for affiliates I work with and trust. I only recommend brands, companies, and services I trust and have added value to my life. If you choose to click on my links and make qualifying purchases, I may be rewarded or compensated all at no extra cost to you. By using my affiliate codes/coupons you are supporting my blog and little family which is an immense honor and blessing. Thank you!

The Basic Ingredients

Certified Gluten Free Rolled Oats:

If you are gluten sensitive or making this for someone with Celiac Disease, always use certified gluten free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free, however harvesting and processing equipment contaminates oats with gluten. Bob’s Red Mill is probably the most popular brand of certified gluten free oats. I purchase these oats from Azure Standard because they are gluten free AND organic (they are also much less expensive!) If you are not gluten sensitive use regular oats, it tastes just the same! Note: You can find out how (and why) I order from Azure Standard here

Sweetener:

This is where we get into the versatility of this recipe! I use brown sugar or coconut sugar the most often. If you prefer to keep this lower on the glycemic index you can also use a sugar alcohol blend such as swerve. I have never personally tried using a sugar alcohol mix to make this, so please report if you do! Brown sugar produces the best texture in my opinion. However, I use coconut sugar more often. The coconut sugar produces a more dry texture. To combat this, you can use an optional teaspoon of blackstrap molasses. I have also considered trying date sugar at some point!

Oil:

Pretty much whatever oil you have on hand will work! Oils I have used are avocado, coconut, grapeseed, and vegetable oils. If dairy is not a problem for you, feel free to use ghee or melted butter. I prefer to use avocado oil as it gives the best texture and is a healthier oil. Coconut oil works well too, but produces a denser bar. I try my best to stay away from conventional vegetable oils, but they do work in a pinch.

Milk:

Any non dairy milk will work just fine! My family is not sensitive to dairy and we do use raw cow’s milk sometimes as well.

Salt & Baking Soda:

Not a whole lot to say here! We use pink Himalayan salt for all of our food. The baking soda is used here to add an authentic flavor rather than for leavening.

Different Flavorings For Your Gluten Free Cookie Bars:

Use your imagination, the sky is the limit! I will admit that my favorite add ins for these gluten free cookie bars are classic chocolate chips. I’m pretty basic I suppose. However, here are some more ideas!

Cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins. (or just cinnamon and raisins if nuts are not an option for you)

White chocolate chips

Allergy friendly M&M’s

A mixture of peanut butter and dark chocolate chips

Dried strawberries and dark chocolate

Roasted almonds, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate

Dried banana chips and dark chocolate and/or peanut butter chips

Caramel candies, roasted almonds, and chocolate chips

Dried coconut flakes, dried fruit, and chocolate chunks

How To Make These Incredible Gluten Free Cookie Bars:

1.Process The Gluten Free Rolled Oats

Add the oats into a food processor or high powered blender. Pulse for 25-30 short pulses until the oats are in small pieces. You don’t want to make oat flour here, so if you notice that the oats are small enough before you reach 25 pulses, stop. Chopping the oats into oat flour will produce a drier end product.

Add The Rest Of The Dry Ingredients.

Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture of the gluten free oats after they had been processed. However, you can see what I mean by small pieces of oats here. Next, dump the sweetener, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. If you do not have a food processor and used a blender for your oats, dump the oats into a medium to large bowl and mix in rest of the dry ingredients. If using a food processor, pulse only a few times to incorporate.

Add Wet Ingredients

If using a food processor, I highly recommend adding the milk and oil of choice into one measuring cup. With the machine running, slowly pour the wet ingredients through the chute in the lid. Allow the processor to run until the cookie bar “dough” has formed into a cohesive mixture. Getting a picture of this process was difficult. However, in the picture below you will get an idea of what I mean. If mixing these gluten free cookie bars by hand, simply add the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.

Add Desired Mix-Ins

Add whatever mix-ins you prefer and quickly pulse a few times to incorporate. You don’t want to break the mix-ins down, just add them evenly throughout the dough.

Bake

Dump the gluten free cookie bar dough into a prepared 9×13 glass pan and press evenly with a rubber spatula or your hands.

Bake for 12-14 minutes in a preheated 370℉ oven. The bars will not look completely baked, but will continue to bake and absorb moisture as they cool. Baking the bars until they look done produces cookie bar bricks. I don’t know about you, but I prefer a more gooey result.

Serving And Storing

These cookie bars are absolutely delicious and it’s hard to resist cutting into them right away. I suggest letting them cool and set up for 10 minutes before cutting. Cutting these bars is easier while they are still warm, especially if you used coconut sugar. You can serve these bars while they are still warm, or wait until fully cooled.

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight plastic container for 2-4 days. I used to make these every week for my husband’s lunch and they always tasted as good on the fourth day as they did on the first.

One More Idea:

I have also used this exact recipe to make a gluten free cookie granola. Instead of baking in a 9×13 glass dish, press the dough onto a parchment paper lined rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for the same amount of time at the same temperature as the recipe below. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting. Store in an air tight container and enjoy as you would other granolas.

What are some other ideas you have for mix-ins? I love that this recipe can be made to accommodate just about everyone and is easily customizable to your preferences and what you have in your pantry.

Shalom,

Olivia