The best recipes are the ones that have been handed down. One of my best family recipes: Oatmeal Brownies!
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These soft, fudgy brownies have a buttery, crisp oatmeal crust. Some of the crust mixture is also reserved for the topping. What you see is what you get. The simple flavors of the chocolate and oatmeal complement the contrasting textures of the brownie and the crust. In short, they're pretty perfect with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk.
If you enjoy this recipe, you should check out the posts for my Cinnamon Roll Bars, Strawberry Thyme Blondies, and Blondie Brownies!
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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.
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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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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!
These brownies aren't fancy. I'm not aware of an Oatmeal Brownie trend occurring in the past. What these brownies are: simple and DELICIOUS. It's no wonder that they're a family favorite--maybe they will be for you, too!
Other Recipes You May Like
Oatmeal Brownies
Ingredients
Oatmeal Crust/Topping:
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats (NOT quick cooking!)
- ¾ cup flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
Brownies:
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
- ¾ cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon chocolate extract (see note)
Instructions
For Crust/Topping:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9"x13" pan with foil, allowing it to hang over the sides (to be used as handles to remove the brownies from the pan later). Grease the pan and foil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and baking soda. Stir to combine.
- Add melted butter and stir to combine, ensuring the butter coats all the ingredients. Reserve ¾ cup of the oat mixture to use later as topping. Press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes. Crust will not brown, but will be puffed.
For Brownies:
- Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt chocolate and vegetable shortening over low heat. Remove from heat once smooth.
- Add sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and chocolate extract. 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.
- Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and pull them a little early rather than a little late. Fudgy brownies are SO much better than dry brownies!
- Allow brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. Using the foil "handles," remove the brownies from the pan and cut as desired.
- 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!Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.
Barb Anderson
These were awesome. We sprinkled some cinnamon on the oatmeal base before baking.
Amee
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! The addition of cinnamon sounds amazing! ❤️
Valerie
Omg my grandma used to make some like these. Fantastic!
Amee
Aw, those food memories are the best! Thanks so much for your review, Valerie!
Kelly
Love loooove the oatmeal crust! Can't wait to make them again!
Amee
These are a family favorite at my house for that very reason! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, and thanks so much for your review, Kelly!
Dana
Yaaaassssss!! Had to make these gluten free and didn’t change a thing. The raw brownie batter seemed like it was a little sparse so I was shocked when they baked up SO puffy and thick it must be some kind of magic lol Freaking delicious, just what I was craving