Can I use quick-cooking oats?

No. Quick cooking oats won't have the appropriate texture or stand up to mixing/baking well. Definitely make sure that you're buying old-fashioned oats!

Oatmeal Brownies - Live to Sweet

Ingredients

This recipe is made in two parts: first the crust, then the brownie layer. Don't forget to reserve ¾ cup of the crust mixture for topping the brownies! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.

Oatmeal Crust Ingredients:

Old Fashioned Oats - For flavor and texture. It gets juuust crisp enough when it bakes to have a nice contrast in texture to the fudgy brownie.

Flour - Provides structure and moisture for the crust.

Brown Sugar - For sweetness and a slight molasses flavor. Helps hold the crust together.

Baking Soda - For a little leavening.

Unsalted Butter, melted - For richness, flavor, and to help hold the crust together. Unsalted so that you don't have a salty crust.

Brownie Ingredients:

Flour - Provides structure and moisture for the brownies.

Baking Powder - For leavening.

Salt - Helps to balance and enhance the flavor of the brownies.

Unsweetened Chocolate - For deep flavor. Unsweetened to offset the amount of sugar already in the recipe.

Vegetable Shortening - For moisture. Honestly vegetable shortening is the same as vegetable oil once it's melted, but I've never tried the substitution. I linked to the shortening that I use. I prefer this brand because it's organic, non-hydrogenated, and Rainforest Alliance certified. <3

Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the brownies moist.

Eggs - For moisture, structure, and richness.

Vanilla Extract - For flavor.

Chocolate Extract - For even more flavor! This (sometimes overlooked) extract lends an amazing depth of flavor to chocolate baked goods! If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can find some here. Even better, makes yourself some Homemade Chocolate Extract for next time!

Instructions

The brownie batter is a typical one--it comes together without a mixer and in a matter of minutes! The only ingredient that you might not regularly have in your pantry is the chocolate extract. More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

To Make the Oatmeal Crust/Topping:

Line and grease a 9"x13" pan and set aside.

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and baking soda. Stir to combine.

Add melted butter and stir to combine. Reserve ¾ cup of the oat mixture to use later as topping. Press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

To Make the Brownie Layer:

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside.

Melt chocolate and vegetable shortening over low heat. Remove from heat once smooth.

Add sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and chocolate extract to the chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Add dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated.

Pour batter on top of baked crust and spread to cover/smooth the top. Sprinkle with the reserved oat mixture.

Tip: When baking the brownies, always err on the side of caution with the bake time. When in doubt, pull them from the oven sooner rather than later. Overbaked = dry, but underbaked = even fudgier.

Storage

These brownies, sealed tightly, will keep on your counter for up to five days. Even better, they freeze wonderfully! You can bake, cool, cut, wrap, and store the brownies in the freezer for up to three months! Honestly, I've left them in the freezer for much longer and they're still delicious, but you're pretty guaranteed to be safe (with no changes to texture or flavor) within three months.