Cream Cheese Swirled Almond Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars are rich, dense, and will satisfy that chocolate craving in no time!
Last week we were in Seattle for a friend’s wedding and turned it into a six-day Pacific Northwest babymoon. We packed each day with adventures — from heading to Mt. Rainier right from the airport to enjoying meals at some of our favorite local spots.
When I travel I miss three things most: Lars when he’s not with us, Maddie, and being in my kitchen. We stayed in an Airbnb for a couple of nights, which gave us a chance to cook and even do a little baking. I made chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches, but nothing beats baking at home in my small, cozy kitchen.
The day after we returned I got straight to baking. First up was a loaf of pumpkin zucchini bread to use the mountain of zucchini from my garden. Next I made these Cream Cheese Swirled Almond Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars — yes, it’s a mouthful of a name, and the bars themselves are just as indulgent.
These bars are dense, almost fudge-like, and satisfyingly rich. A small square goes a long way; even someone who rarely finds treats too sweet can be content with a single bite. If you prefer peanut butter, you can swap it for almond butter with great results.
I developed this recipe for GO VEGGIE using their Plain Cream Cheese and wanted the bars to be lactose-free and vegan. That meant replacing eggs and butter and relying on almond butter to lend moisture and structure. The result is a bar that’s dense, rich, and a little like cookie dough in texture. The dark chocolate chunks are a welcome contrast to the almond butter base.
My favorite element is the cream cheese swirl. It’s simple — just cream cheese, a tablespoon of sugar, and vanilla — which keeps it light and not too sweet. When a bite includes a generous swirl, it’s my favorite way to enjoy these bars.
I’ve been reaching for these every night since we returned. They make a great after-school or lunchbox snack for kids and travel well when kept cool. I recommend storing the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator; they keep best chilled and maintain their dense, fudgy texture.
Cream Cheese Swirled Almond Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes • Cook Time: 25 minutes • Total Time: 45 minutes • Serves: 8 (8″x8″ pan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 cup natural almond butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 4 ounces GO VEGGIE Plain Cream Cheese
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (for the swirl)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for the swirl)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line an 8×8″ baking dish with foil or parchment paper. If using foil, grease it lightly with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the coconut sugar, almond butter, and vanilla for about 1 minute until well combined.
- Add the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and almond milk. Beat until the mixture comes together.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks, then spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, beat the GO VEGGIE Plain Cream Cheese, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and combined.
- Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the bar batter and swirl it gently with a butter knife to create a marbled effect.
- Bake for 23–25 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
These bars keep best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
This post is sponsored by GO VEGGIE, but all opinions and the recipe are my own!
