Sweet Treats Saturday: Revel Bars

This is the start of a chocolate kick. I realized that most of the treats I've been making recently haven't really featured any fudgy goods.  


Before I stumbled upon this recipe, I'd never heard of revel bars.  After doing some research, it seems like they primarily consist of an oatmeal cookie base, a layer of fudge, and crumbled cookie on top. Not too shabby, eh?

I made these for a couple of immediate occasions as they called for half a can of condensed milk. This was a good excuse to double up the recipe so that I could just use the full can.  I brought these to a work picnic, and to a dance competition that ended with a BBQ.  At both occasions they got rave reviews and lots of compliments.  This recipe is a keeper, and so easy to make!

Chocolate Revel Bars

From: Baking Bites

1/2 cup butter, room temperature, divided

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla extract, divided

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)

7 oz sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)

1 1/2 cups dark or bittersweet chocolate chips, divided (I used bittersweet for the chocolate layer and semi-sweet for the cookie crumb top)

1/2 cup toasted and salted pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and oatmeal.  In a large bowl, cream together 7 tbsp butter (reserve remaining tablespoon) with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Blend in flour mixture until well incorporated.

In a small, microwave safe bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup chocolate chips and reserved 1 tbsp butter. Melt on high heat in 40 second intervals, stirring frequently, until mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract.

The dough pressed in for the cookie base

Chocolate layer spread over the oatmeal base

Take 1 1/2 cups of the cookie dough mixture and press it into an even layer on the bottom of the preapred baking pan. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly on top of the cookie layer.

Mixture for the crumbly top

Stir remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and toasted pecans into remaining cookie dough. Break dough into small chunks and sprinkle evenly over entire chocolate layer. Chocolate layer will still be partially exposed.

Ready for the oven

Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Chocolate will still look “wet.”
Cool completely in the pan before slicing.

Ready to serve

Makes 20 bars.

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