These fudgy Chocolate Crumble Bars are oh SO GOOD! They’re chocolatey, super buttery, soft, and the best. These bars are simple, easy to make, and they have a secret ingredient.
I know I peaked your interest when I said my Chocolate Crumble Bars have an unexpected secret ingredient. Not kidding, it takes these bars from basic to bakery quality instantly. I know you won’t guess what it is so I’ll tell you…
Ground nutmeg! This warm, nutty spice lifts the chocolate fudge, butter, and oats to an unbelievable place. On top of it, this recipe is great for soothing your sweet tooth and you get a huge 9×13 pan of goodness!
If you need an excuse to make them, let me help you.
- You’re in love with fudgy and chocolatey desserts.
- You had a bad day and are looking for some comfort.
- You had a good day and want to make it great.
- Your have friends coming over.
- You need a fun baking activity for date night or for the kiddos.
- You’re going to a get together and need a crowd-pleaser.
- You love yourself.
Ha! Hope that helps. And for more sweet tooth comforting desserts, try my No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies or this chocolatey Puppy Chow.
Fudgy Chocolate Crumble Bars Ingredients
Here’s everything you will need to make these crumble bars and a few important notes too. Keep reading!
- Flour: I recommend using unbleached, all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda: Check to make sure it’s not expired or your crumble will spread and be very dense and flat.
- Salt: An essential seasoning for balancing the sweet notes.
- Ground Nutmeg: This one is my secret ingredient! Just a little nutmeg to the crumble goes a long way. It adds a bakery quality to the bars.
- Unsalted Butter: It should be at room temperature. You can also use a stick of salted butter, just omit the added salt.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar is the best because dark brown sugar adds a bit too much moisture and doesn’t get crisp.
- Eggs: These should be at room temperature so the crumble dough mixes together well.
- Vanilla Extract: For added flavor and depth. I recommend pure or homemade extract over imitation.
- Oats: I use old-fashioned oats because I like how they soften as they bake but still give texture to the bars after they’re baked.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These are my favorite but milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips work as well.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This gives the soft and fudgy texture to the chocolate layer. Do not swap this out or skip it!
How to Make Fudgy Chocolate Crumble Bars
1. Make the crumble layer. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) followed by the oats. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a 9×13 pan.
2. Melt the chocolate layer. In a saucepan over medium-low heat melt together the semi-sweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the chocolate fudge over the crumble and smooth out.
3. Sprinkle more crumble over top. There should be about a 1/3 left and it doesn’t need to be perfect.
4. Bake the chocolate crumble bars. The crumble should be browned and the chocolate fudge should lose it’s shine and become matte. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Storing and Freezing Information
To keep the Chocolate Crumble Bars from drying out they should be stored in an airtight container. You can store them at room temperature for 4 days or in the refrigerator for 7 days.
These bars can also be frozen for up to 3 months! I like to freeze them in slices for a quick sweet treat.
Tips for the BEST Crumble Bars
These fudgy chocolate crumble bars are simple to make, but these tricks will guarantee perfectly soft, fudgy, melt in your mouth bars.
- Don’t overwork the crumble dough. For soft and light bars you want to create as little gluten (from mixing) as possible. You’ll want to stop mixing just before the flour is absorbed, add the oats, and stop mixing once the flour is absorbed and the oats are distributed.
- Use high quality chocolate. Chocolate is not equally created and some has more water than crea. I prefer the Belgium semi-sweet chocolate chips from Aldi.
- Be careful to not overbake the bars. With crumble bars there is a fine line between doughy and overdone. Follow my instructions for times below and take them out once the top crumble layer is golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Dessert Bars You Might Like
Chocolate Crumble Bars
EQUIPMENT
- 9×13 baking dish - lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray
- hand mixer - with beater attachments
INGREDIENTS
Oat Crumble
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- 2 cups brown sugar - light
- 2 eggs - room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned oats - for chewy bars, or quick cook for not as chewy
Chocolate Fudge
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Don't forget to line the 13×9 pan with parchment paper and lightly spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and brown sugar until lightened in color (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Combine until the egg is well incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and incorporate until almost all of the flour has absorbed. Pour in the old fashioned oats and fold them in by hand until distributed.
- Take 2/3 of the oat crumble dough and press it into the baking pan. Set aside.
- In a medium sized saucepan add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract. Heat over low-medium heat until everything is melted together and smooth.
- Pour the hot chocolate fudge over the oat crumble and smooth it out into an even layer.
- Top the chocolate fudge with the remaining 1/3 oat crumble.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The crumble should be light brown and spring back to the touch. The chocolate fudge will no longer be shiny and should slightly giggle.
- Allow the Chocolate Crumble Bars to cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into equal slices.
RECIPE NOTES
STORING INFORMATION
- Room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 7 days.
- Frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and in a reusable plastic bag, for up to 3 months.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
