Triple Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

 I have been testing quite a few cookie and bar recipes as of late to prepare for the cookie swap season. These are the times when you have to bring your cookie "A" game in order to not end up with a billion of your own cookies back at home. These types of events feel like a diluted version of picking teams for dodge ball in elementary school. If you don't have the goods you don't get picked. At least now if nobody likes your cookies you get to take a bunch of everyone elses home with you.

This is a pretty good recipe. If you really like chocolate, this one is for you. There are three different types of chocolate: milk, semi sweet and cocoa powder. Not only are they chocolaty, they are very moist and chewy.

For the recipe you will need:
1 stick of softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tbs milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oatmeal (I used old fashioned oats, but I have used quick oats in the past as well)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
11/2 cup milk chocolate chips  (1/2 cup reserved for the top)

 Mix the butter, sugars, eggs, milk and vanilla until they are fluffy and light.

 Add the cocoa, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. Mix until well combined.


Then, add the flour. If the mixture seems too stiff, just add another tablespoon or so of milk.

I like to add the flour last in order to ensure I won't over mix it and make the bars too tough.

  Press the dough into a 9 X 9 square pan that has been greased. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips over the top.

Bake the bars at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out of the center almost clean.


Cut and serve. Enjoy!