Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

This is a little bit of a switch-up on the old Rebel Bar recipe that's been floating around mommas' kitchens since I was in diapers. I remember craving these things as a teenager! I also remember eating half of the chocolate topping out of the bowl before it could make it onto the bars!!

If you are confused as to what I am talking about, here's the skinny (or in this case the not-so-skinny):

chewy oatmeal bar. thick layer of chocolatey fudge. mmm.

I made these a little differently and took some short-cuts because my back was hurting. I should know better than to chase a school bus in the dark January morning hours in nothing but slippers and a bathrobe. Yep! I went skating (or flying) across the ice. I'd like to think I was at least a little graceful, but the laughter from my children told me otherwise.

So this afternoon as I lay on an ice-pack I decided to make something yummy for the Mister who so kindly took half the day off after I called him crying. I was touched (and relieved) when he walked through the door and said he was here to take care of the kids. I had my eye on some pretzel peanut butter brownies but decided that would be more of a punishment than a reward as the Mister doesn't like pretzels baked in or around his treats.

So here's my rendition of the old-fashioned Rebel Bar recipe...

This ball of dough is so good I can eat it just like this (and I do)!

Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

Cookie layer:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 cup coconut
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Chocolate layer:
12 oz chocolate chips
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, oats, coconut, baking soda and salt. Press into a jelly roll pan (I like to line mine with parchment or wax paper so I can lift the bars out to cut them on a board).

Melt the chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and coconut oil. Pour over the oatmeal batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy this chewy chocolatey goodness....