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This small batch recipe for oatmeal chocolate revel bars is a scaled-down version of my popular full size chewy chocolate revel bars recipe, which was inspired by an old family favorite dessert bars recipe. The full size recipe makes so many bars that I wanted to do a scaled down version for those of you who aren't trying to feed a small army.

small batch oatmeal chocolate revel bars in an eighth sheet pan cut into diamond shapes.

Because chocolate revel bars are so popular, but the full-size sheet pan recipe makes over 60 bars, it was an obvious choice to make a small batch version for those of you who are baking for a smaller get-together or who don't have room to stash the extras in your freezer.

Just like my other popular small batch recipes, this cookie and fudge bars recipe is scaled down to use 1 cup of flour for the cookie dough and 1 cup of chocolate chips for the fudge filling.

I've provided a few different options of smaller pan shapes and sizes for baking these cookie and fudge bars in the blog post below. Depending on what you choose, this small batch revel bars recipe can make anywhere from 20-40 bars. So, you know, it's small batch but it's still giving you plenty of bars to work with!

close up of a small pan of revel bars with a mini metal spatula in the corner.

A Note on Different Pan Sizes for Small Batch Revel Bars

I've tested this small batch recipe in a few different pan shapes and sizes for you so you can make it work with whatever you've got around. That said, it does work best in a metal pan — not glass or stoneware — to get the nice crisp bottom!

An overhead shot of revel bars baked in a fluted tart pan cut into very thin slices. One slice has been turned on its side revealing the layer of chocolate fudge running through the middle

For the photos in this blog post I used an eighth sheet pan (7x10") which is the smallest possible size pan I'd recommend for small batch revel bars. I got about 24 diamond-shaped bars from an eighth sheet pan.

You can also use a quarter sheet pan, a round fluted tart pan, or 8" square or round cake pans to make these small batch oatmeal fudge bars — they can make anywhere from to 20-40 bars, depending on how you cut them.

The baking time will remain the same regardless of which of these pans you use. These oatmeal fudge revel bars are fairly thin, so they all need about the same time in the oven for the cookie dough to bake through and get crisp on the bottom.

a quarter sheet pan with a rippled surface.

9x13" Quarter Sheet Pan

8 inch stainless steel fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

8" Fluted Steel Tart Pan

an 8 inch by 8 inch square metal baking pan.

8" Square Baking Pan

Special Ingredient Notes

Here are the ingredients you'll need to make these small batch oatmeal fudge bar cookies! See recipe card (at the end) for quantities.

the ingredients measured out and labeled.

Quick Cooking Rolled Oats - You must use QUICK COOKING and ROLLED oats. If the front of the oats package doesn't say both QUICK COOKING *and* ROLLED oats, check the ingredients list, it will say "rolled oats." Buying the wrong type of oats is the number one mistake people make with revel bars; make sure you get the right ones!

Walnuts - Measure the walnuts after chopping them (or buy them pre-chopped). Walnuts are technically optional* but I do recommend them — they add a lot of bulk to the fudge filling!

Chocolate Chips - I've made revel bars using chocolate chips, bar chocolate, dark chocolate, semi sweet chocolate, vegan chocolate, etc. All of them will work. I find my favorite version is made with semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can absolutely sub in other types of chocolate if that's what you prefer!

Sweetened Condensed Milk - This usually comes in 14 oz cans, but I've recently found resealable pouches of sweetened condensed milk which are great for this small batch revel bars recipe. This way you don't have to open a full can when you aren't going to need all of it! Reminder: Sweetened condensed milk is not the same thing as evaporated milk! Make sure you're using the right thing.

Optional additions and substitutions:

Cinnamon - A quarter-teaspoon of ground cinnamon added to the dry ingredients really helps bring out the warm, nutty flavors of the oatmeal.
Flaky Salt - For a fancy finishing touch, sprinkle the revel bars with flaky salt right before baking.
Nut Allergy* - If you're making these for someone with a nut allergy, you can swap the chopped walnuts for toffee chips, crushed pretzels, mini M&Ms, sprinkles, or just leave the nuts out entirely.
Gluten-free - Use gluten-free cup-for-cup flour and gluten-free quick-cooking rolled oats.

How to Make Small Batch Revel Bars

I like to use an electric hand mixer to make this dough since my stand mixer is just a bit too big for a dough this small. If you have a smaller stand mixer (like a 4.5-5qt mixer), you'll be fine using your stand mixer.

butter and sugar creamed together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

Beat the butter and brown sugar together. Most people rush this step. Be patient!

after beating in the egg with the electric mixer the butter sugar and egg mixture is shiny and glossy.

Add the egg and vanilla and mix for 60 seconds, until quite glossy and smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl all at once and mix on low speed until it's all combined.

the finished cookie dough in a mixing bowl with a white spatula sticking out of it. — This is a pretty thick cookie dough; you may find it easier to mix with a spatula. I usually do.

In a small sauce pot, melt the chocolate chips, butter, and sweetened-condensed milk together over medium-low heat. Then, take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla (mandatory) and finely chopped walnuts (optional).

sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and butter combined in a small sauce pot with a white spatula in it.

Melt my pretty, melt!

mixing chopped walnuts into the fudge mixture in the sauce pot.

Stir in the nuts and vanilla.

Note: If the fudge cools down before you need to pour and spread it, you can put it back over low heat and stir to loosen it back up.

Assembling Small Batch Revel Bars

If you're using a round fluted tart pan or want a tart-like crust around the edges, you can press some of the dough up the sides of the pan to make a visible crust. The dough will expand slightly as it bakes, so keep that edge fairly thin.

pressing the oatmeal cookie dough into an eighth sheet pan. — Press two-thirds of the dough to the bottom of the pan.

using a mini offset spatula to spread the fudge filling across the cookie dough. — Spread with the fudge filling.

the revel bars before baking topped with chunks of oatmeal cookie dough. — Tear the remaining oatmeal cookie dough into chunks and dot them all over the surface of the fudge.

Cutting Revel Bars

I usually cut this small batch bar recipe into diamond shapes just in my full-size recipe. But you can also cut them into squares or rectangles if you prefer. To cut the revel bars, you'll want to make sure they're completely cool; otherwise the oatmeal cookie base won't hold together and the bars will crumble apart.

Note: Because you have to cut the bars while they're in the baking pan, I recommend using your least favorite or most beat up/tarnished baking pan to make these!

a hand holding a diamond shaped revel bar above a small sheet pan of revel bars.

For best results, use a sharp knife, and run it under very hot water (and dry it off) before slicing. The fudge can get sticky when it's cool and a hot knife makes it easier to cut. You may need to wipe your knife off with a hot damp towel or under hot water a few times while cutting.

cutting diagonally across the revel bars. — Cut diagonally.

cutting vertically down the revel bars. — Then cut vertically.

a small batch of diamond cut revel bars on a wire rack. — Don't worry too much about cutting the revel bars so that they're perfectly uniform — you're going to have some irregularity no matter what. That's half the fun!

Practical Tips & Recipe Notes

Can you use dairy-free sweetened condensed milk in this small batch bar recipe? I don't recommend it. When you use sweetened condensed coconut milk, the fudge filling will collapse and flatten out rather than staying risen and filling in the gaps between the oatmeal mounds on top once it cools. I've heard from people who've tried this swap who say the bars still taste great and they still love them, but if you don't need to make the swap, I recommend sticking with the recipe as written!
What to do if you only have old fashioned oats — To use traditional rolled oats, you'll need to pulse them several times in a food processor to break down the tough outer shell. In addition, you'll want to let the cookie dough sit for at least 2 hours or overnight before assembling your revel bars — this gives the oats time to absorb enough moisture from the dough so that they're chewy and not tough!
Can you use steel cut oats to make revel bars? No, you cannot.

💭 Have More Baking Questions?

I've rounded up answers to common baking questions and how-to guides, including:

Ingredient swaps and FAQs
Why my recipes are written in grams and not cups
How to quickly bring eggs and butter to room temperature
Ingredients I use (salt, flour, yeast, etc.)
Step-by-step guides for bread and baking techniques

See my baking techniques & troubleshooting guide and ingredient swaps and FAQs for more!

A cookbook titled Small-Batch Breads by Rebecca Eisenberg, featuring various loaves, buns, flatbreads, and rolls on the cover. The book promises 50 recipes made with one cup of flour.

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📖 Recipe

Small Batch Chocolate Revel Bars

Servings batch

Author Rebecca Eisenberg

This small batch recipe for chewy chocolate revel bars features the classic combo of chewy oatmeal cookie base, layered with a luscious ribbon of fudge in the center. This small batch oatmeal fudge cookie bar recipe can be baked in a pan as small as an eighth sheet pan or as large as a quarter sheet pan — it also works well in an 8" square or round cake pan, or even an 8" fluted tart pan! Yield: 20-40 bars, depending on the pan you use and how you cut them.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Cooling 1

Total Time 1 50

Recipe Notes

If you are measuring with cups, it is super important that you measure the ingredients properly. See my guide to measuring as accurately as possible by volume for how to do this. If you measure with cups/teaspoons and the recipe did not turn out right, that is likely why. Try again!
Regardless of what size pan you use — an eighth sheet pan, quarter sheet pan, 8" square or round cake pan, or fluted tart pan, the baking time will remain the same.
Use a sharp knife, and run it under very hot water (and dry it off) before slicing. The fudge gets sticky as it cools and a hot knife makes it easier to cut. You may need to wipe your knife off with a hot towel or under hot water a few times while cutting. Sometimes a serrated knife works better, but it's really up to you!
If the fudge cools at all before you need to pour it, return it to low heat and stir until it is melty and loose again.
If you accidentally bought old fashioned oats, pulse them in a food processor or blender several times before using and let the cookie dough sit for at least an hour or overnight before assembling your revel bars to give the tough oats time to soften.
To freeze, cut the revel bars apart and place them in a large airtight bag or container. Be gentle putting them in so they don't break or squish into each other. If you're worried about them sticking together as they freeze, you can arrange them on sheet pans in the freezer with space between each bar for about an hour, then transfer the bars to a bag or container once they're less sticky.

Ingredients

oatmeal cookie mixture

90 grams unsalted butter
120 grams brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon vanilla
120 grams quick-cooking rolled oats
120 grams all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
⅛ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt (use half as much of any other type of salt)

chocolate fudge

140 grams sweetened condensed milk
120 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 grams unsalted butter
1 pinch diamond crystal kosher salt (use half as much of any other brand)
50 grams chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Instructions

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Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Combine dry ingredients (except brown sugar) in a large bowl. Set aside.
Cream softened butter using the paddle attachment on your mixer approximately 30-60 seconds on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, add brown sugar and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, pausing to scrape down the bowl several times, until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla together. Beat for 60 seconds on medium speed until smooth and glossy, scraping down the bowl after the egg has fully incorporated.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Stop the mixer as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain in the bowl.
Lightly grease a sheet pan with non-stick spray or a paper towel with a bit of cooking oil on it.
Use your hands to firmly press about ⅔ of the oatmeal mixture into a very thin even layer at the bottom of the pan, making sure to get into all four corners. Use a small offset spatula to prevent a lip from forming at the edges of the pan.
Make fudge filling. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, salt, and butter. Continue stirring until no lumps left and remain and the chocolate is shiny and smooth. Adjust burner as needed, stirring frequently to prevent chocolate from burning. Turn off the heat, stir in walnuts and vanilla.
Pour chocolate mixture across the surface of the oatmeal layer in the pan, using a spatula to gently push it into all the corners right to the edge of the sheet pan.
Use your hands to tear, crumble, and pinch the remaining oatmeal cookie dough, dropping it in chunks across the chocolate fudge. Try to get some variety in size between chunks.
Bake in 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden brown on top. The chocolate fudge will have bubbled up slightly, rising to the lip of the sheet pan.
Let the tray cool completely before cutting into diamonds. To get the diamond shape: cut 7 straight lines lengthwise down the sheet tray about 1½" apart, then cut across those lines in a diagonal, starting with a corner-to-corner cut to make it easier to replicate the correct angle as you make the rest of your cuts. The diagonal cuts should be about 1½-2″ apart.
The bars can be a bit tricky and stubborn to remove from the pan. I recommend starting with the odd-shaped edge pieces and then working your way toward the center.

Video

Bars & Brownies Chocolate Small batch

Comments

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